Bus-loads Of Celebrations

Blessed to have Mom & Dad celebrating with their children

The Raya celebrations continue...

Just like previous years, just like other Malay families I have seen too, we chartered a coach for the whole day to haul our large families to visit homes of one another like a marathon which proved to be an "Amazing Race" every year.

Meeting point at my Eldest Brother's place, the bus started picking-up the families in Tampines first. We moved off to Bedok North to pick up 2nd Elder Brother before moving off to Punggol to pick up 2nd and 3rd Sis' families.

That completed the the families living in the eastern part of Singapore.

Went off on a longer journey via TPE highway to Woodlands and picked up two more families - 4th Sis' and Youngest Brother's. Mom and Dad were traveling with our Niece's family since she has difficulties climbing the steps on the coach.

That then completed hauling of the families living in the north of this island.

1st Home. Breakfast at Eldest Sis' home at Jurong West

Next destination: Eldest Sis' place in Jurong West, the western of this island. Her place was our first Raya visit this year and it was Nasi Lemak breakfast there... a very delicious Malay dish that has become very popular and has been adopted by all other races here.

Once our parents arrived we started our day-long Raya feasting, followed by a tradition of Raya family portraits at each home before we left for the next one.

Limiting ourselves to about 30 to 45 minutes per home, we were able to cover about 9 homes within the same day, like marathons we did on previous years.

2nd Home. Bunch at Youngest Brother's home at Woodlands Drive 16

It is interesting to observe the moods everyone both adults and children, throughout the entire day. We always started off happy, cheerful and so energetic in the morning. Lively chats and endless doses of jokes broke out everywhere... while in the coach, at the lift landing, everywhere.

Though the enthusiasm remained the high, the energy level wanes off significantly especially come sun down. It is not so much the sunlight that gives the energy boost, but more of the energy is concentrated to digest the loads of food we feasted throughout the day.

Endearing moment captured

Each home made their own Raya home-cooked dish specially for this visit, so after the 7th home to the last 9th, everyone has not enough blood running in the brain. The blood is mostly concentrated and working hard in the stomach area.

All that weight lost as a result of the month-long fasting during Ramadan, we manage to get it most back during this day! Loading on carbohydrates day!

The visiting route a reverse from the pick-up. After Elder Sis' home, her family joined us to visit our next sibling at Woodlands and then Tampines. Lastly, Bedok North which ended half and hour before midnight.

Visited Grandma at Tampines Ave 10

We used-up 15 hours of charter which accumulated to S$525.00, at S$35.00 an hour charge. Each family shared the cost which amounted to S$58.30, handed over to Eldest Sis who was the last to be sent home.

All in all, the day can never be traded for any other because we love to be together as one super-large family, ever stronger bonding and ever happy to be in each other company.

Ever so blessed that we still have both our parents celebrating this auspicious day this year with their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren... after so much ordeal they had to endure with the health.

This Aidilfitri is extra special and will be increasingly so every coming year.

Selamat Hari Raya,

Maaf zahir batin.

3rd Home. Rojak Tahu at 4th Sis' home at Woodlands Ave 4

4th Home. Noodle lunch at 3rd Sis' home at Sengkang

5th Home. Light snacks at 2nd Sis' home at Punggol 21

6th Home. First of our Niece's home

7th Home. Eldest Brother at Tampines St 22

8th Home. My home at Tampines St 71

9th & last home. 2nd Eldest Brother's home at Bedok North

Raya Celebrations Continue

Unexpected, Wifey's eldest brother called to say that he was coming to our home for the Raya visit. The family had arrive in Singapore the night before after a 5 to 6 hour-long drive from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Wifey was delighted to receive the call as I had gathered because she woke me up from my abrupt sleep to tell me the news and asked me to get ready.

I was down and out after I had popped in tons of drugs from the doctor to treat my nasty flu and congested lungs that had been killing my spirits against my better, joyful nature to celebrate Raya since last Thursday.


While she was busy preparing food in the kitchen for our guests that were coming over, I bathed the second time to refresh myself and try to stay focused.

The time is never right when you are sick but hey, it is Hari Raya so visiting and celebration are in the cards whether you like it or not. More so when guests have a big heart to come from so far away to our home.

I like it a lot... but I hate the state I was in... buffed with full of medications, I was like a zombie with pale complexion, muffled hearing and imploding-jello-jiggled-head. I knew I would not remember half the conversations we would have had for the night, the very next morning.


They called my bluff the minute they stepped into our home. My face was like an open book! Well, most probable there were prefaces about my current health given out my Wifey herself and my beloved mother-in-law who was worried for me.

The conversation were kept simple. Thank you Bro!

Mostly catching-up on each other after a couple of years apart. Some conveniences in terms of transportation his part of the world has now that will make it easy for us to travel by train from Singapore.


Apart from Wifey, Sonny had the best time of all that night. With lots of silly and quirky poses they took pictures of themselves around the house, the four cousins were having a great time together uploading pictures into Facebook and starting to "Accept Friends" with each other.

Facebook is BIG this year with everyone to keep in tough... both for the young and old!

Brother-in-law broke he happy news that he and his spouse are going on a pilgrimage to Mecca this year. Something that Wifey and I would want to do later in our lives.

They both are waiting for the final approval from their Malaysian government to set off on a month-long pilgrim, celebrating Hari Raya Aidil'Adha, another important Muslim day of celebrations, in the holy land this coming November 2009.

Note to Wifey, Brother-in-law and family do not like spaghetti meat-balls! They tried their hardest to finish the food Wifey specially prepared for them but alas, none could finish a plate and had to be thrown away.


Oh well, more for us I guess. Sonny and I were the first to finish the uneaten leftovers because it is one of our favorite dish... one man's poison is another man's antidote... even if the taste buds were a little off as a result of my flu medicines.

What makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, in spite of drugged state of being that night, was the honest feeling I felt when Brother-in-law and I exchanged wishes and seek forgiveness from each other and hugged.

It made my lousy day all better with a renewed sense of well being that everything is wonderful. Family bond is beautiful and priceless.

Spirit Of Celebration

Aidilfitri 2009 KL Family Portrait

As I had envisioned and calculated the plan in my mind weeks earlier, Hari Raya Aidilfitri being on Sunday, the following Monday becomes a public holiday.

An ideal timing since Wifey's family was coming all the way from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to celebrate their Raya here this year. Monday was the perfect day to be with them!

Braving the 5 to 6 hour-long drive, there will be 3 to 4 families coming to Singapore to celebrate this special day with Wifey and her two sisters who are living here.

As I had figured, we will have double celebration this year. Everything should all work out so well!

On Sunday, Wifey, Sonny and I will go visiting to my parents and in-laws on the first day of Hari Raya. We will then have the whole day on Monday to spend time together with Wifey's family and go visiting to her side of the family, relatives and close friends.

We have already planned and booked a coach this weekend where we will then spend the whole Saturday with my side of the family, visiting my side of the family, grandparents and relatives.

Perfect! Or so I thought...


While Wifey and Sonny were out with her family on the second day of Hari Raya, stuffing themselves with lots of yummy cookies and delicious home-cooked meals that are especially prepared for visitors at her relatives' and close friends' homes, I was home alone.

Nursing myself and numbing my physical pain... and sadness, with loads of drugs from the doctor, stuffed in my body while I desperately tried to get better.

For what it was worth, it was not a total loss when they finally arrived at our home.

The atmosphere was just as electric with high energy, just like as previous years. With lots of laughter and chats, we closed the gaps we had been separated by, from the 2 or more years we had been geographically apart.

Except for this sickly body, everyone else looked radiant and so happy to be together once again.

This year, I realized that the once children, have grown to become teenagers. No longer the shy nephews and nieces I remembered but spontaneous and confident young adults.

We truly had a good time together. Our home was their last stop, so they spent a longer time here which was just the dosage I needed to get me back into the spirit of true celebration. My zest for celebrations starts flowing again... even though the drips from my nose are too.


I know Wifey is already; but I am going to miss them once they leave for home this Friday. I already missed my mother-in-law... a genuinely warm and friendly lady.

Wishing them a safe journey back home. May peace and happiness be with them throughout the years.

Selamat Hari Raya

Aidilfitri Family Portrait 2009

Syawal has arrived. 20.09.2009... nice date.

The day to celebrate our triumph over earthly desires we abstained during the month of Ramadan is here. Wish I could say the same with how I am feeling right now.

This year, it is bitter-sweet for me. Fallen sick just 4 days before Syawal, the incessant coughs especially at night has ravaged both my energy and zest to celebrate it enthusiastically.

After 43 years of illness-free celebrations, the flu has dampened my spirits somewhat as I experience for the first time difficulty to breathe.

A trip to the doctor last Thursday morning did some good, but the constant coughs still keep me wide awake at night. For several consecutive nights, I slept in the living room to avoid transmitting the disease to Wifey.


It also turned out to be the most longest weekend unexpectedly. And boy, it was a long, drawn-out and unpleasant days!

Being sick on a very special day like Hari Raya Aidilfitri is nothing short of party-pooper.

Firstly, I did not attend the morning Raya prayer this year. I look forward to go with Sonny like very year. The atmosphere has always been very joyful. Nothing short of fantastic as one hears the prayers and surrounded by happy faces, people in new and colorful Raya clothes.

By long and drawn-out, I mean I cannot last a minute on the bus, our economical commute to and from my in-laws' and my parents' places without breaking out into long incessant coughs.

The hard, phlegm-filled, lung-spewing cough while riding in the passenger-filled bus that will make any passenger weary of infection. So, we took the cab.


Though costly, at worst, apart from my own family, the cab driver would have gotten infected even at best we requested to have the windows wound down.

Tried my best to look fine, we had our family portrait taken like every year, before we left our home for Raya visiting. It did not turn out that convincing, though.

Spent an eternity at my in-law's place who came back to their Clementi home from KL, Malaysia to celebrate it here this year. My throbbing head felt like it was about to implode. I did not even touch the Raya cookies... against my better nature.

Wifey had to cut short our visit as we made our way to my parents' at Woodlands next.

I was the party-pooper. We left my parents' place as fast as we did from my in-laws'. I did not even "pig-out" at either of these two places which made Mom's quite worried for me.

We... well, I had a third place to visit too... the doctor's!


Once we reached home and had our dinner, I left for Raffles Medical that was still open until 9:00PM on public holdays. Thank God Almighty the company doctor opens during public holidays too and a short shuttle-bus ride to Tampines One Mall.

I reached there 10 minutes before it closed and got good drugs to relieve me of my present sufferings.

The Amoxcycillin antibiotics did the trick. Combined with Bromhexine to loosen the thick phelgm that constricted my chest and left me breathless, the Phenexpect cough syrup made me slept like a baby after so many sleepless nights.

It was like I found liberty. I was free to breathe again, free to sleep again.

Still under the weather... a very dark sky I might add, I strive to recover from my sickness. Nevertheless, I am happy that I can still see my in-laws and celebrate the day with my Mom and especially Dad... who had gone through so much during the past year.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri everyone!