1st Day of Raya

It has always been our routine on every Raya: Ampang on Raya eve, 2 am on Raya we travel back to Parit, 2nd Raya we travel to Klang, after lunch we continued our journey to Melaka and finally on 3rd Raya we will stopped in Port Dickson. So far we have not diverted our Raya plan ever since we got married, let me count...14 years!

It is the best plan so far.  We have taken so many things into consideration and until now we are ok with it.  Alhamdulillah.  Don't want to get into details of how we came up with that decision for now.  That will be an entirely different post.

Those who benefit most were the kids. Collect duit raya lah kerja mereka, This year I was given the honor to prepare my Assam Laksa Penang. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of it.  My mobile phone battery has been giving me problems so I did not even bother to carry it around. Assam Laksa has been my signature dish on hari raya. We would change our main raya spread every year. Couple of times, I prepared my Laksa Johor.  Sheri like to prepare Prawn Noodles, Mee Curry and there was one year she prepared Lontong and Lodeh.

I miss my dad during Raya.  On 1st of Raya, we went to Tanah Perkuburan Talang Batin and read verses from surah Yassin for Abah. I find it hard to control my tears whenever I read Yassin for him. Then we met aunty Salmah and family who just about to leave. She is still in mourning the death of Uncle Ros. Still weeping when she saw my mom and both hugged to comfort each other.

I missed Abah who occasionally would compliment and tease my Assam Laksa was delicious or my Teh Tarik was the best, that I should open up a small stall in front of the house. Ha ha ha yeah right Abah!

I missed the times when he would accompany me in the wee morning hours of Raya while I cook. I would tell him, its ok Abah you go ahead and sleep, I will be okay.  He left but later came back, sat down, smoke another cigarette and asked me for Milo.

I missed when Abah used to squeeze my arm commented whether I gained or lose weight.

How much I wish Abah was still with us....

On a good note, this year is the very first time that my mom kissed me on both cheeks and forehead.  It was very unusual, which made me pause and think. Why? She has never done that before. Is it a sign? Just like when Abah said he loved me during his last stay at my house in Puchong? A few months later he left us. I thought I should put it in writing. But I pray mom will leave a long life just like Nenek Klang who is 92 years old.  Though she is weak and bed ridden, nenek still remembers everyone, including myself.

Aunty Aishah came back to Klang for 7 weeks holiday to spend time with nenek klang.

To all whether you celebrate Eid or not, Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. May God bless us all!