Syawal Visit Marathon

3rd Visit: My Tampines St 71 home

Yes, we do it every year.

We will visit each others' homes... seek forgiveness for our past wrong doings to one another, eat, drink and be merry... watch short excerpts of some famous movies, catching-up with one another and appreciating everybody's lovely homes... all within the span of one day.

Yes, it can be done.

1st Visit: Breakfast at 2nd Sister's Punggol home

Even with such a large family and with the years gone by, instead of just visits between siblings, we are looking at additional homes of our nieces and soon nephews too.

Since we have been awarded Grandpas and Grandmas statues with the birth of our nieces' children, these once cute little children have children of their own. Soon the be, their own homes too.

2nd Visit: Brunch at 3rd Sister's Sengkang home

It started in 1995 when it made so much economical sense to just charter a coach with everyone pooling and sharing the cost together than to go on our own or as a group by public transport or cabs. Time was always wasted on the journeys and waiting to catch a cab.

With the ever increasing headcounts, so far, a coach can still contain the lot of us. The only thing that becomes lesser is the time spent in each home... to be able to visit all the homes within the day.

4th Visit: Eldest Brother's Tampines St 22 Home

We would congregate at a designated home just before lunch. Have our lunch at the first home and then the journey begins from one home to another, making our trips all across the island in a single day... even though it is not such big of an island.

We would start fresh, cheerful with zing and slowly dampen down at the end of the day... not because we got tired, but by that time, we would be stuffed, bloated and sleepy by midnight.

5th Visit: Grandmother's Tampines St82 home

Everyone's homes would want to prepare something to treat the guests... every year, it will be something different to treat our taste buds.

It seems, every year we would put on our lost weight back within that single day after shedding it off with the month-long fasting during the Ramadan month. The temptation to savor those scrumptious home-cooked food is just too great. It is after all the celebration and feasting is not too far down the list.

6th Visit: Youngest Brother's Woodlands Drv 16 home

It is, nonetheless, a hectic annual schedule nowadays, but worth every minute of it... being together, everywhere, every home. Enjoying each others' company.

It has been an awesome day, exactly like the previous years before if not better. I would not miss it for anything. It brings us close together as family, it sets a tradition to have our children and our children's children to know and mingle with one another... long after our parents are gone, and hopefully long after we are gone.

7th Visit: Youngest Sister's Woodlands Ave 4 home

It is a marathon of sorts, but everyone finished a winner.

I love them all.

8th Visit: Eldest Sister's Jurong West home

Two adorable & energetic nephews putting on shoes

Family Portrait: Fresh before the marathon