What I did during Raya 2.

Here the sequel......

Reached my mother in law's house just about time to assist her to prepare for the berbuka puasa. I was not able to buka puasa with her and my family as I had to rush to my my brother house. This younger brother of mine is married to a KLite and had earlier left for the city after my undertaking to look after my aging parents and a 28 year-old Down syndrome brother during his absence. They have been staying with him after my mother has become partially dependent, not even able to lift a `cerek' despite still being able to move around. On the other hands, as my mother in law is also living alone, then it was only fair for my wife to stay with her mother.

My duty looking after my parents lasted from that Sunday evening (22/10) until the Tuesday Raya morning (24/10) morning after Hilmi '"Apek" and his entourage actually reached home from Melaka. Mind you, Hilmi was my parents favorite's and I was more like a black sheep of the family for being probably the most vocal amongst the siblings. In a way this is quite fortunate as my father choose to follow Hilmi's to the nearby Masjid for Solah Sunat Raya and giving me the chance to take my own sweet time going to hear the Khutbah delivered by Datuk Harun Din. Almost every Raya I would take the opportunity to hear the khutbah from him not so much of his party inclination but for the quality of the khutbah. This year it about the summary of events or groups that deviates from the true Islamic teaching. The khutbah lasted about an hour and it was already eleven morning when I was reunited with my family again to join the Adil Fitri celebration seada adanya.

By the second Raya I was already observing the non-obligatory 6-day Syawal fasting but that has not deter me from visiting all my other siblings and relatives. We were back to SP by the third day Raya, celebration cut short to allow my SPM bound daughter more spaces for the exam. That's for now……..Salam.

P/s...There is actually a lot more to tell esp. when at home together with my parents, they are old and I have to be patient, old parents are sensitve lots...may be another time!

What I did during Raya 1

I really got nothing to do today, so am pleased to share with you guys on what I did during Raya that was just about a week old.

I was planning to go back Kampung on Saturday (21/10) afternoon, but changed my mind after feeling tired and sleepy, obviously to the effect of clearing the overgrown weeds in the garden and rounds and rounds of laundry before we actually left our home sweet home. My wife is of course exempted from the chores after her gallstone episode that leaving me to take full controls of her ministry.

We left for Kangar on bright Sunday (22/10) morning, cramping everyone together with what we think we need during holidays in my 13–year old faithful. Usually my son would be driving her mother's car together to lessen the loads, but not this year as he has just got to help his girlfriend's father doing something more important than us, at least to what he thought it was. He was only planning to join us on the Raya eve, let him be, I would be in same shoe at his age.

During the journey, we actually stopped at the Bukit Kayu Hitam Duty Free Shop. My wife has been pestering me to get something to wear on the Hari Raya, You see, except for the 10 sarongs and two Baju Melayu, I have not bought anything else for myself. Most of the sarongs anyway, would be given away to my favorite uncles and relatives. Sarongs can be cheap if you buy them in bulk, every year I'd buy the Indonesian Gadjah Duduk Benang 7000 (probably the best available in the market) for about RM20-00 each, that about RM 18 cheaper if you choose to buy a piece or two. Everyone else was well equipped from head to toe, courtesy of my other half. She would take extra effort to see her offspring look radiant on the joyous day and she definately would not want me to be different.

I was actually pleasantly forced to buy 2 pairs of Polo T-shirts and another 2 pairs John Langford's Ease that made me about RM300-00 poorer before tax. We were only on our real Hari Raya Balik Kampong journey after managing to sweet talk the officers for the 30% tax waiver on the way out of the Customs checkpoint.

Check out the sequal...shortly.