Happy Mother's Day Mak

Happy Mother's Day Mak

There's no words to express how grateful I am for having a mother like my Mak. This September will be Mak's 84th Birthday.

I'm sure all of us love our mom so much. But what if I were to ask you to list down 10 things what make you respect and love you mom so much, what are your answers. Mine is simply these:

1. She is such a determined person. She will get all out to get anything what her children wants.
   
2. She loves her children more than anything else. She took care 11 of us alone after my father passed away in 1968. When I was still very young, I once heard her best friend asked her to remarry but she flatly said no because she want to take care of her children.
   
3. She make sure we get some education despite she herself was educated till standard 6.
   
4. She would go all out to feed all her 11 children despite being a full-time housewife and with no jobs after my father passed away. I remember she had to sell kuih at the nearby food stall and I and my sister had to send the kuih very early in the morning to that stall.
   
5. She loves to cook and is a great cook. She would prepare food for all of us even after we got married and have our own family.
6. She always remind us to be good with each other. She is the arbitrator when there is a siblings misunderstanding and rivalry.
   
7. She is a thrifty. She always reminded us not to waste money on things that we don't need. Till now I still remember her telling me that instead of going to see the movies (during my bachelorhood days then), I might as well use the money to buy salted fish (ikan kering) so that we can still eat it.
   
8. She is so humble. Whenever I ask her what she want me to buy her, she would say, "takpayah lah. Mak taknak semua tu" despite we know she would want it.
9. She would attend all the family functions and all the relatives weddings until she is unable to move around anymore in a wheel chair. I used to drive her almost every where I could just for her to meet her relatives.
   
10. And most of all, I love her so much and because she is my Mak. And till now I still believe that she loves me more than the rest of my siblings he.he.he....Anak kesayangan dia kata kan.
    

Happy mothers day Mak!

Happy Mother's Day

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY SAYANG

Mimi : Ayah, gambar mak ada tak?
Ayah : Ada. Mimi nak buat apa?
Mimi : Mimi nak buat card Happy Mother's Day.
Ayah : Pegi cari kat drawer dalam bilik bibik tu. Tengok dalam file tu mungkin ada.

So my little girl went to Bibik's room and brought back the white box file.
I tried looking for Ky's passport size photo but I couldn't find any. I've taken all the things in the file but yet I couldn't find the photo.

Ayah : Mimi tak de lah. Ayah ingat itu hari ayah ada letak kat sini.
Mimi : Ha... nanti Mimi carik kat atas.
So she went upstairs and happily brought one pic of her mom down and showed to me with grinning smile.

Suddenly what she was going to say really kills my heart.
Mimi : Ayah, nanti kalau Mimi dah buat Kad Mother's Day, Mimi nak bagi siapa ha? Mak dah takde.

And I nearly cried when I heard that. With tear starts rolling in my eyes but I tried to hide from her, I told her.
Ayah : Mimi bagi lah Anjang. Kan Anjang pun macam mak Mimi kan.
Mimi : Oklah.

I didn't talk much to her after that. Probably both of us understood that if we talked further about her mom, it will bring more hurts in our hearts.

I know Ky had gone for more than 4 months now and I could take it. But when Mimi said who she can give the Mother's Day card to, I suddenly felt pity for her . I pity her for not having a mother to wish happy mother's day to, as she usually did for years. She would be savings some money to buy something for her mother eventhough it was just a stalk of cheap plastic red rose she bought or a musical jewelery box she had been aiming for.

I don't know how many people would understand how a 11 year olds girl would feel loosing a mother a young tender age. When everyone can wish their mother "Happy Mother's Day" on 12 May, she would felt the lost when she couldn't find anyone that she can call Mak! Even I still has a mother who is now 83 years old and I could see her on Sunday to wish her Happy Mothers Day.

Probably I will take Mimi to her Mak's grave on Sunday so that she can wish her "Happy Mother's Day" and may her Mak rest in peace.

Al-Fatihah to Kak Illah

1st May is a holiday to most of us. It's the workers days and most of you are holidaying somewhere or just resting at home.

But for me, 1st May is the day when I lost someone dear to me. It's almost 4 months after I've lost the most dearest person in my heart. Now I lost another person whom I have so much respect for.

Fondly known as Kak Illah to me, Auntie Illah to my kids or Datin Fathilah to some, is my sister-out-law. She lost the battle against cancer after almost 4 years. Started from breast cancer then spread to the lungs. She never give up to stay alive and give other people the reason to survive as well. But Allah loves her more than we do and she had her last breath at Maghrib time yesterday at Damansara Specialist Hospital after 3 weeks on the life-support machine.

She was laid down to rest in peace at Bukit Kiara Cemetery at about 11.00 am today, Friday 2 May 2008.

Kak Illah will be remembered for her kindness, her concern
for others, and supporting others when they need it most.

It won't do me justice if I didn't write good things about her. If you were to ask me how should she be remembered, I would simply summarize her below:

1. Kak Illah is a caring person. Since Kak Illah is having the same predicament with my late wife Ky, she would share with Ky whatever she had. If she is going for a traditional alternative treatment, she would get Ky to go together with her even to Indonesia. I had always be grateful for what she had done for Ky.
   
2. She never allow a guest leaving her home with empty stomach. Whenever we visited her, she would take the trouble to prepare some food for us. It doesn't matter what the food is. But she'll make sure that we ate something before we leave. I remember the last time I went to her house to drop something and she and Abg Ad was having tea. She make sure that I sit with them join them for a drink. Not only that, she would give me something whatever she has at home at that time. If it's durian season, I would be bring back home some durian. Worst to worst, she would packed me some frozen curry-puff or kuih badak she just bought from somewhere. The point is "she has to give us something when we visited her".
   
3. She is a person with traditional value. Being part of this big extended family, you never get away from weddings of nieces or nephews. And when Kak Illah is healthy, she would go all the way to make sure that the traditional wedding should take place. She would be our "adat istiadat" adviser. Especially when her children got married. She would go to the details so that things would turn out properly.
   
4. Love to do "amal jariah". I remember when my late wife and I voluntarily organized a talk by Ustaz Yassin on "Redha Menghadapi Penyakit" at KGPA but she can't attend due to some other commitments. She knew that we needed the money to cover the rental of the hall, notes, speakers fee and all that. And she donated a few hundred ringgits to cover the rental of the hall. But she didn't want other people to know. We tahnks her for that.
5. She love malay oldies. With this side of the our family who love to sing karaoke during family gatherings, Kak Illah would gladly sing some malay oldies. Believe me, she do have a good voice that suit that malay oldies.
6. She is a good participant for family events. You see in this side of our family, we love to have "theme" nite during the family gathering. For example, we once had to dress "black and white". And she will wear what supposed to be worn that night. And I believed she won for the best dressed woman.
   
7. She and Abang Ad attends almost all functions. Believe me, she and Abang Ad will attend all invitations whenever they could and when times permit. What amazes me most is that they will attend even there were 3 or 4 invitations in a day. You be grateful when people like them attend your function knowing that they had been to 3 other functions before yours.
8. She is gentle. I never heard she raised her voice even though she is angry. She will keep quiet and only speak few words.
   

I know there more things to write but I'm now out of words for her. But I know she is a great person at heart.

The last few photo of her during our Tambun Trip last year.
We knew she wasn't that well either but she didn't want to
disappoint others, so she came along. She was admitted to
the hospital immediately when she came back from the trip.



The loving couple- Kak Illah & Abang Ad.

To Kak Illah. May Allah place you amongst the chosen ones. You'll always be remembered as a person who cares for others and at times goes beyond what is expected from you. May you now rest in peace after struggling with this battle of cancer for years. All of us will miss your dearly Kak Illah. Al Fatihah.

Family Day in Port Dickson

Sometimes we need to have a break in our life and get way somewhere for the break. And we just had that a week ago. My sis, Zalma mooted the idea quite sometimes ago but it just didn't materialized due to other commitment.

At last, last week end we gathered at a place somewhere in Port Dickson with most of my family members attended. Except my mom, who is always reluctant to get out of her house and Kak Ngah who had health challenges, the rest took time off to be there.

Taha and Zalma sponsored the accommodation of 2 big bungalow, while the rest of us organized food and other stuff. I personally organized the whole program especially the indoor and outdoor games so that our stay there will be more lively.

Most of us reach Port Dickson after 2pm while some came earlier. The program supposed to start by 4pm with the Birthday celebrations and cake cutting. The birthday recipients for month of April are Adik and Ika, Quswa and Mak Long. However since Mak Long went for a wedding in Melaka earlier that day, we had to wait for her.

So while waiting, some of us tried the karaoke.

Pak Dak & Pak Tam trying out the Karaoke.
Once they started, they wouldn't let go the mike.

Once everyone was there, the birthday do began.


Ika & Adik's Birthday & the host of the Family Day
Zalma & Taha.


Another Birthday girl : Quswa and Family.

Another birthday girl : Mak Long (who rushed all
the way to PD after a wedding in Melaka).

After the birthday hi-tea was over, the game began. I divided them into teams and each of the team was headed by my brothers : Pak Long, Pak Dak, Pak Teh and Pak Tam. I was glad all those who were there, was so sporting and we really enjoyed all the games that I had organized.

Before the game started, I had to take their team photo. But they need to act or do anything while their photos are taken. Just see the pics below:

Pak Long's team : Panca Sitara


Pak Tam's Team: The Itek Ronggeng


Pak Teh's Team : The Ultra man


Pak Dak's Team : The Cheer Leaders

It was fun and we laughed a lot looking at some of them whom we had not seen their other side of the character.

The first game started with the balloon blowing game i.e. which team blew the most balloon within stipulated time.

Then with the balloon they had blown, they had to run back-to-back with the balloon in between them.


Nek Cu and Mak Teh : running back to back
with a balloon in between them.

The most hilarious game was running with the balloon in between the legs. Just look at the guys down here - waiting their turn to run.


What a fun: Running with a balloon in between the legs.

Then "water-filled balloon throwing" game. Now most of them need to be careful throwing the balloon or else they'll get wet.

Throwing a water-filled balloon. Who can catch
the balloon the furthest without breaking it, wins.

I had a few more games to play but the kids were already wanted to go for a dip in the sea. It was already 6pm so I let them go for an hour to the sea.



The girls having fun in the sea after the games.

Since everybody was there, it won't do us much justice if I didn't organized a Maghrib berjemaah and bacaan Yassin. So we had that done as well. "Orang kata, suka suka juga, Allah kena ingat juga."

So after the prayers and all that, we start the BBQ. The food was so much but the seafood was the first to finish.


Family gathering without BBQ is no fun. So we organised
a BBQ as well.

While some of us were finishing the food, I had to start the indoor game. The first game was the "Statue of Liberty" game - which I had the experience to participate years before.

Kekecohan Mesyuarat Parti MIC


Kemeriahan Persandingan Kaum India


Perlawanan Bola Sepak

The next was the "Charade" and this game requires a person to demonstrate to his team of an event without any verbal communication but with gestures only.

After that was the "Fashion Design" contest whereby each team had to design and put up a fashion using newspaper to their model. By then, unfortunately my digital camera was already out of memory. Thus I didn't get to snap their pictures.

The last was the "Knowing your Spouse". It was quite interesting how much or little my brothers and sisters know about their spouse after many years of marriage.

By then it was already after 11pm and the prize giving ceremony had to be done.

I retire to bed about 12 mid-night as I was too tired by then.

The next day, Mimi was having fever and I had to take care of her. The others went for another dip in the sea. After lunch about 3pm we had to leave Port Dickson.

Overall it was as good family outing for us. The last family outing we had was sometimes in October last year when we went to Terengganu for Emma & Dennis wedding ceremony. Probably we will plan for another in the near future.

Work, work and work

It's been almost 20 days since the last time I blog. I had indulged with work that gave me no time to blog. It has been really hectic for me with work, with family and with life as a whole.

Sometimes it's just hard to explain that we have no time for ourselves especially as single father. From the minute I woke up, prepared my little girl to school, then I got to rush to work thru' the never ending KL traffic jam. Then from 8.00 am till 6.00 pm, it's totally work continuously. Meetings after meetings, rushing here and there. Then there are things to prepare for the meetings. Phone calls keep coming in and calls got to be done to the related people - so that things get done.

My usual short nap during lunch time was the rest that I usually look forward to. I read somewhere that a good deep 20 minutes nap is the best to put your brain to rest for awhile and after that you'll feel fresh and start ready to work again.

But what more tiring is when your brain has to work more than usual after the nap.

Sometimes I just felt taking few days away some where... alone.. But then again, who is going to take care of my kids.

After work meant rushing back home and going thru' another never ending traffic jam again. Worst still if its rain in the evening. The traffic crawls so slow that you can even sleep while driving.

Reaching home is usually after 7 p.m. and its usually about Maghrib time. And its also time when all my "active & energetic growing-up teenagers" children are at home awake. And it's the time I got to get them take their bath if they have not and make sure they pray. I need to remind them everyday and have to make sure they do. You know kids never listen to their parents right?

Dinner is usually after Maghrib and if the kids had earlier dinner, they'll skip dinner with me.

Then it's time for me to rest a bit watching the news or some TV program - depending who got to control the remote control. Cats fight is the usual scene between Acik and Mimi who wants to choose which program to watch. But of course, this is the time for them to finish off their home work too - so another instruction from me to get them do their home work instead of concentrating onto the TV.

If its too boring, then I will head for bed after Isyak.

Then the next day, it's all start all over again ... the never ending work.

That's why I need a bigger DREAM to build a bigger business to pursue DREAM.... I need the TIME and MONEY!

Happy Birthdays Again

Birthday dos are not only for kids and adults to celebrate their achieving another year of their life, but also so the rest of the people to gather and have fun or just enjoy the company of each other.

Last Saturday afternoon, we gathered for another birthday do for Cik Hindun (sis-in-law), Dania (pangkat cucu) and also Nina (niece-in-law .. is there such a term hmmm..). Anyway it was an occasion whereby we met the in-laws, out-laws and also people who we are not sure which category they belongs to.

It was held at Izan & Dini's new apartment in De Rozell Kota Damansara. Quite a nice new place.

The birthday for Cik Hindun, Dania & Nina

Of course the food was the main thing I looked for since I haven't had lunch yet. There were nasi goreng, pizza, spaghetti, karipap, somosa, etc. etc. There were 3 birthday cakes and all of them look good. But the main birthday cake with the Bunny sitting on it is too nice to cut. I guess it was for decoration only.

The beautifully decorated Bunny's Birthday Cake

Of course I had to eat the tempting cheese Birthday cake which is my favourite. Yeah there are cup cakes but I guess these are also for decoration as well because they are too nice to be eaten - look below.

Pretty cup cakes... is it for eating or for show case only


Beautifully decorated clown cup cakes

Aha there was a clown to do the balloon with all shapes and sizes. The kids just loves it. But some people just couldn't resist to take a pic with the clown.


The sonings a.k.a. kepochi posed with the Clown.

What a better way to finish off the birthday occasion when you have it at pool side - dipped in the water. Yeah the kids wouldn't resist the water and they had to jump in it.


The kids already in the pool.

It just that the adults had to stay out of the water and keep themselves dry.


.. and the adults just watching as poolside & don't want to get wet...

Flashes of Love

For the past one week, I have had flashes came into my mind on occasions of my late Sayang.

At one time while I was driving home from work, suddenly my mind was thinking about her being carried down into her grave. I vividly remember what was happening then as I was there holding Mimi's hand while Aizuddin and Aizat carried he Mak's jenazah down.

On other occasion, suddenly I was thinking about her on bed and I was taking care of her.

A few time, I suddenly thought of her body being cleansed and being "wrapped" (Kafan) at the Surau.

The other day another flashes of her came in. It was the time when my children and I gave her the last kiss after being "wrapped" with white cloth, before she being prayed upon.

I had a deep thought each time these flashes of her came into my mind. But most important of all .... Why? Is there something do I need to do for her that I have forgotten.

Didn't I visit her lately? Didn't I think of her lately. Or is it that I have forgotten of her.

I don't think so. I visited her almost every week even though it rains most days. If not weekdays, I would have gone to visit her on Saturday or Sunday morning. Yesterday afternoon, I took all the kids to visit her.

Forgot about her? No I don't think so. Every time after each prayer, Insyaallah, I doa that Allah placed her amongst the religious souls. Thus she's always in my mind.

Or probably, the Children have not read Yassin for her for sometimes now. So today after Jemaah Magrhib with the kids, we gathered to read Yassin for her.

Or is it something that I still don't understand what she meant but she kept coming into my mind! God knows.