EidulAdha

Selamat Hari Raya Haji (and happy holidays) to all friends and readers. May Allah s.w.t. accept our ibadah this year, Amin!

 

If you are just enjoying the holidays and will be making road trips, keep within the speed limits and stay safe (lock your house, activate the alarm, cancel your newspaper deliveries, turn off the gas meter, turn off all heaters, put the timer on, the works!). May your holidays and time with loved ones be memorable. Isn't it lovely that we get the day off as a public holiday?

 

As a practice in my family, we do not "celebrate" in the "worldly feasting" sense, but more as an observation, mark of respect and reflection upon the sacrifice and journey of hajj. Instead of donning new clothes and eating rendang, we try to offer some donation and sacrifice, perform some prayers and generally spend time with family members. This is not to say we are any less happy than the first day of Syawal, in fact quite the contrary.

 

How about you? How do you "celebrate" your EidulAdha? Do share!

Al-Fatihah: Rosanna Foong

How do friendships come to an end? How do you really say goodbye?

From my old blog, and deserves a post here because I just miss R so much.

"The first most depressing post in my blog was about the suicide of a lady from the corner unit of 10th floor on Deepavali 2007. I did not know the late neighbour but do pray for her eternal rest in peace.

This is going to be second most depressing post in my blog. The suicide of a another lady from the corner unit of 8th floor was so difficult for me accept because I was her neighbour and friend. I also knew her young daughter of 7 years old. Her Danish spouse-to-be. Her mother.

I knew about her long and difficult relationship with her Danish spouse-to-be. I have tried mending one of their many fights once and left it at that for fear of being dragged into their affairs.

My last breakfast with her was casual after she helped to send me to the clinic when I was taken ill. Somehow, I did not take her remark of "how nice the lady on the 10th floor just jumped and that's the end of her problems" to heart when we caught up with news of the small community we live in over our bites of roti canai cups of teh tarik.

Outwardly, her life seemed to be going so well. Her daughter was being educated in a private school near by and the Danish spouse-to-be just bought and extensively renovated another bigger unit on the 10th floor for their comfort.

That breakfast was to be the last time I ever saw her.

The news came to me via M,my ex, whom I had refused to speak to since our painful break-up because I needed the space and time to heal. He broke the news to me via Skype as soon as I refused to pick up the phone call (I have since blocked M from my Skype too to avoid being bombarded by his other news) a few minutes just before the Christmas party at Toxic Office in 2008.

I was shocked into silence. M had found out from one of his friends, Annie. Annie and the lady from the 8th floor had a series of nasty arguments and fights involving complaints to the town council, police reports and suits over Annie's ferocious and noisy dog just across the condo block. That day, my colleagues wrongfully thought that I was not being participative in the office Christmas party when in fact I could not break the news to them.

Not knowing how to deal with the loss, I said goodbye by deleting the late neighbour from 8th floor by removing her from my Multiply and Facebook. I did not know how else to say goodbye. Z prayed for her when I asked him to, that evening itself. Z also prayed for our protection and peace.

Why did she jump that fateful day? Did she not think of the consequence on her 7 year old daughter's life? Did her Danish spouse-to-be drain her of every last drop of love, commitment and devotion that she had? Did she not see the beautiful life she had? Did she not fear or feel the love of God?

I only have questions that will never be answered. So as I say goodbye to Homey now, I also bid farewell to my late 8th floor neighbour. It has taken me a long period before I am able to blog about this incident.

**Goodbye, Rosanna. Rest in peace and God bless you always. I am sorry I was busy working when maybe at that critical point all you needed was for a friend to listen/share. Al-Fatihah, my dearest.**

Bachelorette Pad

One of the things I did when I turned SAHM was to sell my bachelorette pad.

 

"After 5 years of being a loyal bachelorette's pad, it is now time to bid adieu to Homey and welcome Mr. Long into his new home. Mr. Long is the son of the current immediate neighbour so he will be really close to his parents. Literally one door away. Or none - if he chooses to break down the wall in the hall that can connect the two units.

The sale of Homey also solves the Musical Houses Game/Puzzle that The Other Half and I have been playing since we got married. After a couple of months of the Game/Puzzle, we came to realise that Homey is unoccupied for most of the time, slightly neglected and slowly becoming a financial liability (especially after deciding that I do not want to be a landlord).

I will be taking the sweet memories with me and leave the sad ones behind as I slowly pack and choose personal belongings to take to my new home(s). The Other Half has some really sweet memories of Homey, as do some of my closest friends who visited from near and far.

Off to my new home(s) with the hope of making new happy memories in them. For a start, MIL is already making plans of buying me new larger wardrobes *heart*!"

 

After 3 years, I must confess that I only think of the bachelorette pad on rare occasions, and thankful that I have saved myself from possibly pesky tenants.

 

What about you? Did you sell or rent out your bachelorette pad? Did you renovate it to become a family pad instead?

Food Grafitti

My MIL did this *smirk*

Blooming Curry Leaf Plant

Since moving to The Apartment, my potted plants have filled the two balconies that we have to the brim. It looks a bit like a mini tropical/herbal "jungle" in the middle of the city, stark contrast to the concrete and glass everywhere.

My MIL have helped to prune some of them into discipline, added fertilisers and constantly remind me to water them as soon as we arrive "home" from The House. Honestly, since getting pregnant and slightly clumsy, I have cut down on my gardening time considerably and delegating slippery/watering/washing tasks to Z since my PIL do not approve of me taking "risks".

On weekends when it is not too noisy or dusty, we keep the balcony doors open to air The Apartment. Today, a whiff of fresh curry leaves filled The Apartment with refreshing scent, nothing like deliciously cooked curry sort though. I went to the balcony and discovered the blooms!

What a pleasant surpise indeed, as I have never seen curry leaf plant blooms before. Looks like my green thumb has not really deserted me afterall. Luckily, the blooms come during my second trimester or else I would have reacted adversely to the smell in my first trimester.

**Until the next bloom, let me know if you want any fresh curry leaves for your dishes.**

His Beautiful Creation

 

The year end monsoon arrived on time in 2009. This spray of lilac and lavender blooms filled the pergola at The House much to the joy of everyone at home. The colours remind us all of the July 2009 wedding we had celebrated.
 

Please comment on the name of this plant if you happen to know. Thanks!

The First Gift

I had the first challenge of looking for the right present for the woman who already has everything - Z's mother - when I was invited "home" for dinner on Chinese New Year Eve on 24 January 2009.

I had to get her something extraordinary and really did not know what to make/cook/buy.

When I saw this pot of orchid, I fell in love with it and hoped she would like the simple gift. Dinner went well, she liked the gift and you all already know the rest of the (hi)story.

Guess what? The same pot of orchid is still flowering to this day!

What did you bring as a first gift to your significant other's parents? Do share!