Friday, September 03, 2010

Memories of Raya

As we approach yet another Raya, nostalgic Hail Amir & Uji Rashid Raya songs resonate in my car as I druive to work this morning as the songs are played over the radio (these songs are still the best Raya songs ever!!), I reflect on the different experiences I had on Raya, since childhood.








My childhood Raya memories.....
Mama was frequently not sleeping till wee hours of the morning, often cleaning up the house. exhausting herself out just to get that perfect squeeky clean home before guests of all races  come to visit. And my, did we get many of them, especially Mama & Babah's school teachers. Both my parents were principals of schools. It was really 1-Malaysia back then, in the true sense of the word.

On the eve of Raya, Babah would be busy clearing the garden, under instructions from Mama of course, and at late night, he would have to impit the rice to get nasi impit. Being the youngest, I would have long been asleep by then. I can't remember whether it really was my memories, or accumulation of what I have been told, Kakak once got up in the middle of the eve Raya night, and asked Babah if he had bakar the nasi impit yet. Everyone laughed, yet my sister still didn't know then what was so funny? Nasi impit is actually just a pressed (cooked) rice cake. Any bakar (roast/bake) is therefore not required.

Tok (or known as Ngah by my other 'older' siblings, since I am after all the youngest) would be busy with the sate goreng, gulai ayam and kuah kacang...Wait, I think there was also rendang, and yes and serondeng, or Tok calls it daging tarik.... We had to pry the beef into thin slices with our hands. I have not been very domestic, so all these tasks, I hated...(till today).

Raya mornings after Babah comes home from the mosque for the Sembahyang Raya, we would be busy with the crates and crates of bottled carbonated drinks enough for a few days of the celebration. We don't seem to have that now do we? Favourites would have been the F&N orange and sarsi....

I also loved the tall champagne glasses that were used only during raya to serve the drinks to the guests. None of us in the house drinks, by the way.... Just in case some one was wondering.

Babah would also buy the ice blocks, wrapped in newspaper and saw dust. As I reflect, it was so unhygienic, yet we never had any troubles did we?

Mr Keong, one of mama's teachers would always be the first to arrive. Kakak's and my tasks would be to fill up the cookie jars with kuih raya, cut the nasi impit and fill up the rendang in the Pyrex bowls.

My good old dad was a very hospitable person (Gosh I miss him so much, that it brings tears to my eyes as I even write about him now). He would entertain any Tom Dick & Harry that turns up at our door step on raya, and we had many of those popping by.... the school gardener, children of all races that go from house to house just to collect duit raya, etc....

Afternoons we would spend our times sitting down and relaxing, after being completely stuffed with all the carbonated drinks and ketupat, rendang and kuih raya, watching the RTM TV programs. We never had anything else then.

Now, we do it really differently....
Mama previously, since Babah passed away in 2001, insisted to celebrate in our house in Penang, even though no one is there. Most of us would need to spend it in KL with our other halves' family as well. I'm grateful that this year she has agreed to spend it with us in KL on the first day, and we shall push off to Penang on the second day. After all it would give her a chance to really visit pusara Babah on the first day of raya itself.

Ten~ten's and my tasks are to go to Melawati at 2.00am on Raya Day itself to buy all the rendang, serunding, ketupat, lemang that we need. We don't cook you see, unless we get some kind contributions from Kakak. However, we do set it up really nicely in the morning for the Raya Breakfast after Sembahyang Raya, so that my children are excited enough, and from that, they would have their own different memories of raya, like I did. Then it is the beraya session within our own family, with duit raya being given to the 2 babies.... It's simply wonderful and I'm really looking forward to it.

I learnt form the experience of Mama cleaning the house, so no not me, I won't let the same thing happen to me. I get the cleaners to come to the house. I concentrate on beautifying the house, change the curtains, re-upholster (when required only).

Drinks, we are a bit more health concious now, so it would be coke lite, pepsi max and good old water.... Kakak and family of course won't be happy about that .

What remained the same is us all getting really stuffed after over eating, and before the day ends we would need to crawl back to our homes, sofa, bed, switch on the air cond and get a good snooze.... let's see what we might do differently this year shall we?

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri!!!!....

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A Wee Bit Restless...

I'm sitting here on my bed in this budget hotel in Ipoh, waiting for time to go to the stadium again for the semi-finals between Mira's school, CBN and Puteri Seremban. I'm very confident that our girls are able to take it to the finals and come out as champions, yet I can't help but feel restless....

I just want to get this whole game over and done with, and let us just take the trophy back with us!! Woo Hoo!!

I am also restless as a result of this freaking ears!! Well at least the infected ear is almost completely recovered. Now it is the other ear that's bothering me, the one that is blocked!! Every time I apply the ear drop, it gets blocked. Isn't it supposed to melt all the stuff??? Actually, I'm getting used to all these muffled sounds....;p

Let's see.... What else is on my mind!! Oh dear, I'm in for trouble, as I forgot to give my Mom, who's in KL, a call!!! I'm DEAD!! I'll call her now...pause ||

Done!! She's well, but as expected...."Ingat dah tak mau call dah!!". Managed to weave my way out of that one... I'm really so grateful that I have a Mom! Alhamdulillah... every thing else does not seem as important any more...

Ok, now, it's time again, I feel, to count my blessings:

  • I am so grateful that I'm given life of abundance... technically lately, it has never really really been 'not enough'. We always manage....
  • I am so grateful for the wonderful and balanced family that I have today.
  • I am so grateful for the health that I have been granted with.
  • I am so grateful for the health of my husband.
  • I am so grateful for the health of my children, Amirah & Adeil.
  • I am so grateful for the health of my Mom.
  • I am so grateful for the material things that we have, the cars, the house that we live in, the completeness of everything.
  • I am so grateful for the jobs that both Ten~ten and I have, that is providing us with a steady income.
  • I am so grateful for the new lecturing job that I am about to get and the approval to do my PhD, which allows me to spend more time with my family.
  • I am so grateful that I am able to get Mira a place in England to further her studies.
  • I am so grateful, I am so grateful, I am so grateful!!!!
What is so wonderful about writing in my blog is.... though I started out restless, I am not anymore.... and I am now really so overwhelmed with the feeling of gratefulness... We actually have soooo much to be grateful for...All of us. It is just that we often find comfort in sorrow and self pity...

Hmm....Whatever it is, CBN are champions of Premiere Schools!! 

Monday, July 26, 2010

Have I Grown Wiser?

As I sit here waiting for my turn at the hair salon, I have time to look.... I mean really look at myself. Wow.... I've really got a lot of grey hair!! I supposed I'm not one of those strong headed (don't know whether that is the right word for this context) who are against colouring their hair just to cover the grey ones. I really don't
know when I would be ready for that...

Looking at me now, I have a good mind to call Delina to set for a root touch up appointment. But.... that's not the priority now is it. I have other things to focus on. For one, my baby girl is sitting for 3 more exam papers before leaving with her hockey team mates for Ipoh..... and I can't send her off as I have to report to work today. At least I shall be taking the rest of the week off!! Yeayy!!

Second is I have to allocate budget for our hotel stay and food in Ipoh ourselves....
Now...coming back to my grey hair, it got me thinking, have I grown wiser today with all these grey hairs on my head (& that's not the only place....lol). My answer would be:
"Why YES Hanani,you have definitely grown wiser these past
10 years that I've known you!"


Well, for one, I'd like to think that my temper is very much more controlled. Second, I try not to CHANGE my spouse' personality too much (hahaha). Actually, I do appreciate him as he is & things I know he'd rather not do, I'll do it myself. After all he does ALL, and I repeat ALL our laundry, including my mom's.

Being a mother to children with very strong characters has also wisen me up pretty much.

Work is another matter all together. I don't just feel wise...I feel almost ancient! And like any other normal human being, feeling not rumenerated enough. Well that's a different story all together.

For now, I would say that I'm wise enough to know that money is not as important as spending time with my spouse & my children, the most important people in my life. And I'm adamant
to make that happen at the turn of the decade, by Jan 2011. I'll find the way.

Signed,
The Wise One....

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Random Thoughts on a Sunday Morning....

As I sit here on my bed on early Sunday morning, it is nice to just reflect what has happened during the past week, and what to anticipate in the upcoming week. As usual, I need to get up (dark and) early to open the door for the cleaner...it is my weekly ritual. Looking on the bright side? I'm not the one doing the cleaning of the house. Hmmm... I could just hear the vacuum working away.....(Simply wonderful when it is not you who is operating it...:D)

The steps as the children call it...Starting with the shortest,
(& eldest), me on the right, Mira in the centre & Adeil on
the left....taken after CBN won at Pandamaran.........
It has been quite an exciting week. Firstly because I had 2 and a half days off from work, spending time with my children, picking Mira up from school, visiting Ten~ten at work, having late breakfast with him & Adeil, taking Mira (& Adeil whom I excused from school) for hockey in Pandamaran, CBN winning all games in Pandamaran, etc, etc.... Simply loverley...Weeeeeee:D

Though it was a real pity that Ten~ten couldn't join in the fun at the hockey event, we are really looking forward to the nationals in Ipoh which is only 2 days away....
Yeayyyy!!!









My long lost wedding ring....nicely
'RE-FURBISHED'/ 'REINSTATED'
on my chubby fingers....;p 




What was also wonderful was that my wedding ring which I had not worn for almost (or is it over?) 2 years, as 1 of the diamonds fell out, and the ring had actually broken into 2... was reinstated to not even the original condition, in fact to a better condition!!!! Just collected it yesterday. The 21 diamonds were simply just sparkling, and the entire ring was re-plated with white gold. The damage was only RM160.00. To think that I had procrastinated repairing it as thinking that it may cost me thousands.... A lesson learnt. When you are not sure? ASK.... To top it all, I even got to learn how to use the diamond testing equipment....

Red Devils set that I bought from the talented
Mastura Mustaffa, who hand crafted them herself








I also rewarded myself with a set of Red Devils, handcrafted by a friend. The set is simply gorgeous!! Thank you Mas for lovingly handcrafting it..:)







What however was not so great was the ear infection that I contracted, which till today is not completely recovered. The symptom was the imbalance ear pressure, as though the ear is blocked. I had completed my course of antibiotics last night, yet I find that the condition has improved, but not restored to it's original condition. I still remain positive. Maybe I'll just give Dr. Pearl a call later today....

My son had his twin friends over to sleep over last night. They are really excited, looking forward to their performance today at Wangsa Walk for the LS Band Competition at 4-6pm today. It is really quite unfortunate that Mira has a hockey match with a school from UK at 4pm at DBKL Hockey Stadium. I have to really figure this out and make sure that I could really dash her off from the field to watch her brother perform. After all I have already scheduled Adeil's event to the last in the itinerary. Insya Allah...I'm going to make it happen... Adeil needs the sister's support.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Today is a New Page....

I have not put my thoughts down for a very very long time. Somehow it seems to be easier to lead a life of mediocrity, than to be a significant leader, one that actually makes a difference. But, like any other being, I do want to make a difference. If not to others, to my own family, my wonderful children.
I'm listening to 'the secret' again. (Although it's a DVD, I play it whilst driving...so technically I listen, not watch). Somehow, listening to the possibilities perks me up. Reinforces that success is still possible, blissfulness is still possible, ultimate health is still possible....
What flashes before me as I listen is that...
I have drawn the kind of family I have through practicing 'the secret' (without realizing it).... I believe that since young, I've always been visualizing having a family that is so close, so like friends with each other... so relaxed....and there it is.. I have that exact family now!! I'm so blessed...
So, though it is now almost 6.00pm, today is still a new page in my life, like every day.... I'm going to count my blessings....
  • I am so grateful for my great health and the health that my whole family is blessed with...
  • I am so grateful for the husband, the best friend that I have...who sticks with me through my temper, my stupidity, my ugliness...and because of all that I feel calm, intelligent and beautiful today...
  • I am so grateful for a beautiful and intelligent daughter, who is so careful with her words, so as not to hurt my feelings....
  • I am so grateful for a handsome son, who despite the tough front, still is so 'manja' with me and cares for me tremendously...
  • I am so grateful for a mother who at 75 is still healthy and 'happy' to be living with me...
  • I am so grateful to have a life of abundance, that some people only dream off....
  • I am so grateful to have all the material things that I need, to make my life so complete...
  • I am so grateful to still be able to communicate with my siblings, and still act as if I'm the youngest of them all (but I really am!)....
  • I am so grateful that irregardless of everything else, I'm able to give my children the best education that some people can only dream off.....
  • I am so grateful to have friends in need...
The list is just simply endless.... and I shall make it a habit of writing this down every week if not more often....

Alhamdulillah.. writing in this blog again, I have managed to feel lighter, happier, for I have just reminded myself what I have almost forgotten....
that is to...

Live, Love, Laugh.......

I love my life.....