Raya Breakfast

I decided to invite my in-laws & out-laws to my house on Sunday for Raya breakfast. It's because my eldest brother-in-law (Long) invited everyone to his open house for lunch later. Hence throwing at 2 birds with one stone would be a good ides and everyone will be delighted to come over without having 2 trips.

So I decided to prepare some light menu before a hefty lunch later at Long's house. The menu includes nasi himpit, mee goreng and roti arab with tea. But these people really enjoyed the roti arab & sambal sardine the most, although I thought it would be the last menu people would eat during Hari Raya. Alhamdulillah most of the dishes were well eaten.

Preparing the table.


My first visitors of the day. Abg Leman & Bi.


2nd visitors : Cik Hindun, Ijah & Ami




Uncle Joe's family.

Mimi holding Edriss whilst his parents are enjoying the food.

Redha & his father enjoying the food.

Zaime & Farah also enjoying the roti arab & sambal sardin.

Arif & Lynn... having many helpings of the roti arab & sardine.


Along & Achik.


The sisters-in-laws (Minah, Bi, Ijah & Hindun).


The 4 "out-laws" + one "in-law". Me, Uncle Joe, Dato' Shukor, Amir & Abg Leman.

Salam Aidilfitri 2011

It's Hari Raya again. After a full month of fasting in Ramadan and a full month of Terawih this year, it's time for celebration. This year I decided that we wear the light gold coloured outfit. We only wore it once during Redha's wedding. So whilst the kids still can wear them, why not we wear it again during this Raya. Bought another 2 samping to match this light gold baju melayu - which I bought at a bargain in Jalan TAR earlier.

After the sunat Solat Aidilfitri, we had light breakfast prepared by Bibik. But most important is the "berma'af-ma'afan" or seeking for forgiveness amongst us. My kids took turn starting from Aizuddin @ Along the eldest to Mimi the youngest. Have to input this tradition so that they can pass it down to their generation later.

This year I have decided that lots of photograph to be taken - put all the memories in pictures.

All in the Family... with the kids growing up fast now.


Along receiving duit raya.


Followed by Angah.


Acik... and ..


Mimi.


The Family with Bibik.

The first house to go is definitely my Mak's house in Jalan Gombak. This is where all my siblings will congregate after the Solat Aidilfitri. It's a yearly affair for us whilst Mak is still around.

With my beloved Mak.


Asking for forgiveness is the best thing to do during Hari Raya.

My one and only Mak in this world. Alhamdulillah she is still
healthy despite some minor health problem.

The Gombak's Family - although 3 families is still not here yet.

Visiting rumah Nek Cu & Nek Yah's house just next to Mak's house is also the yearly affairs. They are the only Mak's surviving siblings.


Visiting rumah Nek Cu & Nek Yah.


With Nek Yah.

With Nek Cu.

It was already 12.00 noon at Gombak and it's time to go to Kelana Jaya, where my other side of the in-laws congregate i.e. at Abg Ad's house. They are my Johore's family (my late wife's siblings). We are still close to each other as ever although my wife have passed away more than 3 1/2 years ago. We still keep in touch often and I considered them as part of my life too. After all the Johore's family blood still runs in my children.

I thought we were late despite arriving about 12.30pm. Huh! actually we are the first to arrived. Then later on Uncle Joe's family and Abg Leman's came. There on Ijah's and Long's family arrived.

We took the opportunity to snap as many pictures possible. As I said, put the memories in pictures whilst some of us are still around. We never know if we could meet each other again next Hari Raya.

My Family with Anjang (Minah) and Uncle Joe.

Bi, Abg Leman and Me. Bi just had a by-pass operations
about 2 weeks earlier.

My family posing at the Dynasty style stairway


The cousins - all growing up and some already married
with kids already.

The latest addition to the family. Mohd Edriss (Joey's son) born in Qatar.

Rayyan - kecik2 dah pakai spec.


The Johore's Family - we used to take pictures like this
years back. However, some of us have left us forever.

About 3pm, we decided to leave and get back to Mak's house in Gombak. By then Abg Dak's, Kak Chik's and Ina's family were already there.

Al Fatihah to Kak Imah

I haven't been writing for quite sometime now. Work have been quite hectic nowadays. Not much time for myself.

Anyway, just to update you guys that recently one of my sister-in-law passed away peacefully recently. Fondly called "Makmi" or otherwise, Kak Imah, she passed away about 2.00 am on last Wednesday at Kota Damansara. Again it was cancer that took her life. That makes her the third person who is closed to me and who succumbed to Breast cancer.

She was first diagnosed of Breast Cancer about four years ago. Since then she had done mastectomy i.e. operated her breast to take out the affected area. She also had gone thru' several courses of chemotherapy and had been bald as well. I have seen all that and how she suffered like what my late wife had gone through.

About 3 weeks ago, she was told by a specialist that her cancer had gone to he liver. I was alarmed. So was all my sisters in law who knew that it will be difficult for her to survive. What we didn't know is that it would be that fast. Or should I say, very fast. In just 3 weeks after she had known that it spread to the liver, the had to meet the Almighty. She had done the CT Scan just to double confirmed the doctors diagnosis.

What is she to me? Well as I said, she is my sister in law. But we were close to each other. Although she lived in Kluang, I do contact her once awhile. Either just to ask her well being, wishing her birthday or just asking her what is she up to now. I know that she would never sit still doing nothing. There must be something up her sleeve.


Kak Imah at Nutmeg Bistro, Kota Damansara
on my birthday celebration last year.


At a wedding in Kepong.

To me Kak Imah has her own specialty. She is independent and doesn't like to work for people but for herself. I knew her when I was first married to this side of the family way back in 1989, Back then she sells stuff at Pasar Malam in Johor Bahru. For many years she did that. She knew where to get all the stuff at wholesale prices. We took advantage of that since we too want cheaper prices of stuff she buys.

Besides that, she is a good at handicraft. She sew cushion covers, curtains, bed spread and what ever you can name it - she can sew it. On top of that, she knows where to get all the cheapest price but the best quality materials. I always amazed at her creations of curtains, cushion covers, etc. Mind you that during my wedding, she sew everything : quilted bed spread, curtains, cushion covers, drape for our dais and many more stuffs.

Every time I complimented her on seeing new things she did, without failed she would always answer : "alah murah jer kain tu" or " alah kain-kain perca jer I jahit", etc. She is so humble. But the result of her craft is first class.

There wouldn't be Kak Imah around anymore. But the memories will still be with us. I would still remember her as someone who is jovial, someone who is independent, someone who cares for other people more than herself, someone who would help if its not a problem to her and many more things which is describable.

Only Allah would knows who good she is to us. May you now rest in peace. And we pray that Allah placed you amongst the ambiya. We will miss you Kak Imah.

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.

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...

Macam-macam cerita dia orang ni lah....

Scene 1:

Bro-out law: Zam kau nak tak?
Me : Nak apa?
Bro-out law: Alah.. nak kawin lagi lah....
Me : Taknak. Mengapa lak? Ada ke? (Curious jugak nak tau tu)
Bro-out law: Ada. Umur 30 tahun. Belum kahwin lagi.
Me : Tak nak
Bro-out law: Cepat lah.. Kalau taknak, aku ambik kang...
Me : Ok you ambik lah..

Leceh betul out-law ni.

Scene 2:

I met a lady office colleague whom I haven't seen long time. She was walking towards me but facing the floor.

Me: Hi Zau, pandang atas lah sikit. Nanti terlanggar tiang lah pulak.
Zau : Eh...Azam. Apa khabar?
Me : I ok jer. Macam biasa.
Zau : Anak-anak you macam mana?
Me: Anak I ok jugak. Yang the boys tu no problem. Tapi my youngest girl tu jer rindu kat mak dia kadang-kadang.
Zau: You taknak lagi ker?
Me : Taknak apa? (but I understood what she meant by now)
Zau: Alah taknak lagi ker?
Me: Ada orang nak I ker?
Zau: Kalau you tak memilih, ramai lah... hehehehe

Cheh si Zau ni.. I pun belah dari situ.

Scene 3:

Sherry : Ha kau apa khabar Zam?
Me : Aku ok jer.. Kau ok ke?
Sherry: Aku ok gak. Tapi busy lah sekarang. Sorilah lama aku tak call kau sejak Ky meninggal.
Me: Tak pe lah Sherry. Aku pun busy gak.
Sherry: Eh Zam. Siapa jaga anak-anak kau.
Me: Aku lah. Sape lagi.
Sherry : Takde lah. Bila kau keje sape lak jaga dia orang.
Me: Kan aku ada bibik yang dah keje dengan aku lebih 16 tahun kan. Dia lah jaga dia orang.
Sherry: Bagus kan kau. Tapi kau jangan kahwin-kahwin lagi tau. Kau jaga anak kau betul-betul.
Me: Eh.. lain lak cerita kau tu..
Sherry : Betul Zam. Kau jaga anak kau baik-baik. Kalau kau gatal sangat, kau ...... jer tau, tapi jangan kahwin tau..
Me : Tak guna kau Sherry. Bukan nya nak suruh aku kahwin .. kutuk aku lak ya... ok byee.. hehehheee

Chisssss...

Scene 4:

Sophie: Ha kau sekarang ni dah single. Nak aku carik kan ke?
Me: Taknak.
Sophie: Eh..kau kan sekarang single and available.
Me: Ya lah aku tau. Tapi bukan lah sekarang. Biar lah dua tiga tahun lagi.
Sophie: Kalau kau nak, nanti aku carik kan.
Me: Woi sejak bila lak kau ni jadi Agen Pencarik Jodoh ha?? Tak yah.. aku taknak lagi tau.
Sophie: Hehehehehe..

Scene 5:

I was walking for a meeting when suddenly Sheikh who was walking towards me smiling from ear to ear.

Me: Ha.. mengapa Sheikh kau tersengeh-sengeh ni.
Sheikh: Kau sejak dua menjak ni kan hensem je lah.
Me: Pehal pulak. Aku macam biasa jer.
Sheikh: Ya lah. Kau ni kan sekarang tengah mencari-cari kan.
Me : (I still cannot catch what he was saying). Apa kau cakap ni? Aku tak faham lah.
Sheikh: Ya lah .. carik awek lah. Kan kau tengah single ni. Patut lah hensem semacam jer.
Me: Celaka kau Sheikh. Aku ingat kan apa bende.

Scene 5:

We were in a meeting room while waiting for other to come when suddenly Onn ask me.

Onn: Kau taknak kahwin lagi ker Zam? (He asked politely)
Me: Tak lagi kot. Not these 2 three years.
Onn: Bagus lah tu.
Me: Ngape lak?
Onn: Bukan apa. Sekarang ni memang lah tak terasa. Tapi nanti dah tua-tua nanti kau seorang aje tinggal. Anak-anak nanti tinggalkan kau. Kalau kau kahwin, ada juga teman tua kau nanti?
Me: I just give him a smile.... (Betul jugak Onn cakap kan!!!!!)

And that makes sense....

I know all my friends and family meant well when they ask me that "Million Dollar" question. And I ni pun jenis yang tak kisah sangat. And these peopla are very close to me. That's why they asked me out of concern.

Tapi ada gak cakap macam ni....

Scene 6:

Sis-in-law: Kalau you nak tu, I faham...
Me: Nak apa Nah.
Sis-in-law: Alah nak tu lah. We all will support you.
Me: Support apa bende Nah. Apa you cakap ni. Kahwin lagi ke?
Sis-in-law: Habis apa lagi?
Me: Eh boleh. I ingatkan you all (all the sisters in law) tak bagi.
Sis-in-law: Eh.. kita orang faham. We all support you.
Me: Alhamdullilah.
Sis-in-law: Tapi ada satu saje...
Me: Ha.. ada apa lagi.
Sis-in-law: Kena go through kita orang dulu tau.
Me: Hey.. sape nak kahwin ni. You ke I?
Sis-in-law: Kita orang nak interview dia dulu tau...
Me : Cheh....macam ni memang lah I tak dapat kahwin-kahwin lagi

Scene 7:

I was having lunch at the cafeteria with some office colleague (girls) as there was an empty seat at their table. Somehow we were talking on some topics and we came to this topic as well. I was relating the above story to them i.e. about all my sis-in-laws wanted to be the panel of interviewers for my future partner (if I ever want one).

Girl 1: Aha.. elok lah tu. Bagi kitarong interview jugak.
Me: Hey.. apa pulak ni?
Girl 2 : Betul lah dia cakap. I pun nak jadik panel jugak.
Girl 3 : I pun nak. Kita orang semua nak tau jugak tau.
Me: Eh.. kalau macam ni lah, semua orang nak kena interview dia, sampai bila I tak kahwin tau.
Girl 3: Ya lah.. kita orang punya standard tinggi tau.
Girl1 and 2 : hahahahahah...

Cheh ..Tak guna punya kawan.. bukan mau support gua.Bikin gua susah lagi ada lah..chissss.


Scene 8:

Suddenly she wanted to ask me.

Sis-in-law: Arwah ada wasiat.
And suddenly I know what she wanted to ask.
Me: I taknak tau.
Sis-in-law: Eh.. betul ni.
Me: Taknak
Sis-in-law: Dia ada wasiat supaya you ....
I cut her thru' halfway
Me: Taknak dan taknak.. ok byeeeee..

Heeh takut nak dengar wasiat ni. Entah betul ke tidak..or is she trying to pull my leg.

Ini bukan cerita dongeng tapi kisah benar... macam cerita KISAH BENAR ulangan TV3 tu. Tapi watak-watak tu kena lah tukar sikit ya supaya taknak mengaibkan yang hidup atau pun yang telah menginggal dunia. Tapi cerita-cerita macam ni lah yang menceria kan hidup gua tau...Chissss...

Lots of Surprises

What is LOVING means to you? To me it simply mean that someone is caring for you. Someone do have some concern on your well being. Someone want to know whethere you are still ok. Someone still wants you to be part of their life.

And that's what I got from my family from both sides i.e my sisters and brothers and also from my sisters & brothers in law and also out-laws. Both sides of my family did a small birthday party cum gathering for me. But this time I will write about the one that my in-laws and out-laws have organised last Sunday at the "NUTMEG Cafe" in Kota Damansara.


My eldest sister-in-law, Hajjah Fatimah, fondly known as "Bi" was the main orgainser. By the way, she is always our Organiser of many events and she loves doing it. She was assisted by another sis-in-law, Ijah.


Initially they wanted to have the event on Wednesday night for dinner but since I was busy and the kids were schooling, then we have to reschedule it. And in fact that weekend I was busy with my Weekend Leadership Seminar as well. Thus the most convinient time was Hi Tea on Sunday afternoon.


Nutmeg Cafe is a cosy cafe at Kota Damansara where some of my in-laws have frequent it. However it usually closed on Sunday. But they made a special arrangement to fit us there on Sunday. Thanks to the Tan family was being so considerate to open up the cafe for us. And that a plus for them. They know how to serve their customers.


I really appreciate the attendance of my in-laws, out-laws and my nieces and nephew. Liza, Dennis, Jordan and Shasha are from Melbourne and Redha from London. They were here because their mom (Kak Illah) had an operation recently. And of course Joey & Nina from Melaka.


All of my four kids were there with me. However some couldn't attend due to prior commitment.


As usual Bi gave some speech. To make things more hillarious, she accidently told me to cut the "Wedding Cake". What? A wedding cake??? Is there any indication or what? You know lah, I'm now single!!!


The chocolate birthday cake is so good. Full chocolate topping with moist chocolate cake inside. Fresh fruit on the outside decoration.

I had Penang Curry Laksa which was quite good. Others ordered Char Kuey Teow, Fried Chickens, and some other kinds of noodles.



We enjoyed our Hi Tea but by 6.45pm we have to make our way back home.

To all my sister and brothers in-law and out-law, I wish to thank you from deep in my heart. I was touch by your effort to make my birthday a day to remember. And also for the birthday presents that each of them gave me.

And to Hindun who couldn't make it because she had viral fever, thanks for the present and take care. Hope you get well soon.