My Eidul Adha 2013 and the standoffs

This is another old story, unintentionally saved as a draft for so long, in my PC.

15 Oct 2013. The Eidul Adha celebration was great. It gave me and my family a chance to be around my close and distance relatives back home in Lahad Datu, Sabah.

We love the thrills.

        

We enjoy the fun.

 

Working hand in hand.

Some, I’ve forgotten their names, but it didnt stop me from greeting them.

As in the practice, we gathered at the mosque to give a helping hand during the sacrifice. About 22 cows and a few goats were sacrificed and bags of meat were distributed evenly to the needy.

         

I always enjoy this moment. This is the only way I could meet many of my distance relatives from my village.

Lahad Datu, a small town with its name unexpectedly widely spread and known to the world in early march 2013, when a group of people from the neighboring country said to be illegally crossed the ocean by boat and landed at the beach of the then unknown village (Kampung Tanduo).

    From Kota Kinabalu, you’ve got to fly on Fokker by MAS Wing airline to reach Lahad Datu in 55 minutes.            

Back to the story of what happened in Kampung Tanduo, according to the media, the said group of people who came from the southern part of the neighboring country, Phillipines, were there to claim their rights on the state. Sadly, it ended in a tragic incident.

     

For the first time, my sweet little town became a war town for about 2 months.The incident was marked as Lahad Datu Standoff.

2 days and 3 nights in Lahad Datu was quite a short trip, however, we wouldn't want my Father-inlaw enter the operation room without us around.

So, there we were, at the hospitals, together with siblings of my hubby, on the 4th day of the Eid, sending Papa to the Operation Room at 3pm.

My FIL who is known to be ‘allergic to doctors’ seemed relaxed on that day. Thank God. The good looking Dr Haizal was to handle the procedure on Papa’s right leg. Angiogram and Angioplasty are no longer a jargon words to Papa, as he had gone through the largest vocab “By-Pass Heart Surgery” more than 10 years ago.

BeforeAfter

The next few hours were the waiting moment. We waited outside of the operation theater, hoping to see someone to open the door to the OT.

Its was only 3 hours later, when we received sms from the doctor informing that the procedure went well. That was the best news for the day.That ends our Anxiety Standoff..Whew..!

 

I excused myself, leaving my hubby and his beloved siblings, bonding, while waiting for their beloved Papa. I planned to return to the hospital, but I didnt, due to some chores that hooked me in.

Upon reaching home, all the packages and dirty clothes were still at where they were when we arrived from Sabah. I was about to unpack when my son was ready for me to send him to his tuition place. I then realized how easy it could have should my maid was still around. She is probably enjoying her stay with her family back home. I am presuming that she would call me and would request to comeback when she runs out of cash. Forget it… I thought. I dont have a helper now and I just have to deal with life without a helper. I call it No-Maid Standoff.

Celebrating National Day at the hospital

This is an old story. It was all along in my PC saved as a draft , that I’ve forgotten about it.

30th August 2013.It was the eve of Malaysia National Day 2013, when my daughter was admitted to the hospital, due to vomiting and high fever. Her blood test revealed a Dengue Fever.Her blood platelet when down to 254 then to 242 (day 2) to 192 (day 3). Thank God her platelet went up to 200on the 4th day. We were slammed with RM4K bill, causing her father feverish at the cashier.

Me too was contacted by Dengue about 5 years ago. It wasnt fun at all. The after math was even worse. I was having Vertigo for about 3 weeks and my migraine was there continuously for almost a months. Just imagine the agony that I went through. I had enough of it.

That night when Nadia was admitted, we watched fireworks through the hospital’s window. Her brother, Adri accompanied her throghout her 3 nights in the hospital. With us were Nadia’s friend, Hariz and his caring parents and sister. Such a wonderful family. Thank you so much you’ol.

Her aunties and uncles and cousins were also on and off visiting her. We are blessed to have such a beautiful family and friends.

Let me share a remedy that might sound funny to some, but … read my lips, I mean, my finger.. I mean my words….

TREAT DENGUE WITH CRAB SOUP

Enuff said..!  Dont laugh, just do it.

Change of my routines

 

It started within the recent fasting months (Ramadhan)

Regardless of how late I reached home, I still made an effort to cook  favorite dishes of my beloved. Its so satisfying to see them enjoying my cooking. For the first time in many years, I didn't visit the Ramadan Bazaar. I chose to do the cooking. Although I am not a good cook, I still believe that my family will remember the moment of us breaking our fast together, eating home cook dishes, which prepared with lots of love.

Ramadhan has past, but preparing home cooked dishes continue. Coming back from work is no longer a time to rest. Cook ..eat..clean..clean.. and clean. Before retiring to bed, selectively, I hand  wash my clothing too, as I don't trust the launderette to handle them, especially those of a soft materials.

House chores were never been my favorite, but I have no choice at this moment, since my maid went back to her hometown.

Going around every corner of my little house with wet towel wasn't an easy task physically and mentally, especially seeing the towel getting darker and darker. I realized then how much dust had been accumulated and which corner was never been touched by my helper. I am blaming it to myself for leaving the house chores totally handled by her.

When I completed the cleaning tasks, I could feel the difference in the air that I breathed. hhhmmmmmhhh…. so satisfying.

Talking about ‘hoarder’, I’ve never learned the word until I watched a documentary, one day. Clearing the unused items in my house reminded me of that documentary. I closed one eye and dumped lots of stuff into the waste basket. That wasn't easy for me to do. Then I realized that, I was quite a hoarder.

“I’ve just got to stop it” I thought to myself.

“Stop bringing more items into the house” I kept reminding myself.

BUT… they only lasted a month if not less.

Let me tell you what happened……………

The cause……………….I decided not to renew my membership at the gym & I am on medication to treat Hyperthyroid & I started taking vitamins that I need, based on my doctor’s advice, which giving me more energy and more appetite to eat..eat…and eat…

The implication……………..I gained weight and now ‘almost’ going towards  a non-proportionate shape.… You know what I mean…. M-top and XL-bottom. “Is your wife pregnant?”.. my neighbor asked my hubby recently. (big laugh) I was not shocked though.

The solution…………… TBP : to be planned. (I mean..not the pregnancy…  but the solution.

The workaround ………………. change my wardrobe and keep all the shrunk (I wished) clothing aside, JUST IN CASE IF I EVER RETURN TO THAT SIZE AGAIN. At this time, the motto ‘Stop bringing more items into the house’ didn't, however, having no helper in the house, I only buy clothes made of materials that doesn't need a pressing. Phew….At least I know I still have the smartness in me.

That answered why I couldn't spend much time blogging.

ops..!! I have something on the stove.. gotta run..!!!

The story behind Eidil Adha

 

This Eid is celebrated  on the 10th day of the 12th months of the Muslim calendar (Zulhijjah/ Zil-Hajj). This year, the festival falls on the 15th October 2013.

Eidil Adha or Eidul Adha, regardless of the spelling, in Malaysia is known as Hari Raya Haji (Hajj Celebration Day). It is celebrated in relation to the performance of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, known as Hajj.

This special day is also known as the Festival of Sacrifice,as those who have the means would sacrifice animals like sheep and cattle and would donate the meat to the poor and charitable homes.It is a practice done in commemoration of the sacrifice undertaken by Prophet Abraham (Peace Be Upon Him).

A bit of the history………..

Prophet Abraham’s faith was tested by Allah when he was asked to sacrifice his son. His love for his son was great, but his love for Allah was greater. For the love of God, Abraham pulled himself together and placed the knife on the throat of his beloved son, who was then readily consented to be sacrificed.

Suddenly a sheep appeared and Abraham heard the voice of the Archangel Gabriel, delivering the message from God to replace the sheep in the place of his son, to be slaughtered , instead.

The sacrificing of these animals on every Eidul Adha is done as the way of expressing the inner feeling that, if need be, a Muslim will sacrifice his most loved possession of God.

There are a  few versions of this story, and I’m sharing one of them here.

Food for thoughts

 

(This is a reminder to myself and those I care)

Those who spend generously in The Way of Allah whether they are in prosperity or in adversity, who control their anger and forgive other people, Allah loves such charitable people (3: 134)

Serve Allah and do not commit shirk (associate any partner with Him), and be good to your parents, relatives, orphans, the helpless, far and near neighbors who keep company with you, the travelers in need……….. Allah does not love those who are arrogant and boastful (4:36)

Paying Zamri a visit

He is a pilot who rides big bike and loves jet skiing, as I was told. 3 days ago I received his photo looking so worrying. He got my sudden concern.

He was caught in a tragic accident.

I was shocked to see this photo of his. So were the rest of the family members.

Was there a plane crash?

That was the first thing came to my mind. I was wrong.

Who in the world would expect for a Pilot,  Captain Zamri , to be caught under a pile of heavy teak woods?? and within his own compound???

OH EMM GEE..!!!

The incident was captured on CCTV. It happened so quick. Thank God, the construction workers, who were then renovating his house and his children were fast enough to recover him from under those heavy piles.

Today, a week after the incident, I, accompanied by my hubby, my islander eldest SIL and her hubby who flew all the way from Penang island, visited The Captain at the hospital.

Aye..aye.. Sir..!! but where is the plane?

  Zamri is still as joyful as he is known to be. He looked much..much..much better than the last photo I saw, sent by my youngest SIL, 2 days back. He laughed to our jokes and he too, able to crack one.

Phew..! what a relief to see him with a smile.

He suffers from 1 broken rib and his pelvic on the right side. ouch..! I can imagine the pain. May Allah grant him strength to pass through the trauma.

He is a relative by marriage to my hubby. We would meet during wedding of family members, or during Eids. Though I could detect his fun character, I never had a chance to get to know him better. Today however, I felt as if my heart dropped, and filled with sympathy seeing him in that position. I prayed for him to recover well. Poor Zamri.

  He is so lucky to have such a loving family who took care of him well, though. His pretty daughter,Iqa, was busy spoon feeding him when we excused ourselves, after about half an hour later.

Get well soon, my dear cousin brother. Lets get together again like we used to in every Eid occasion.