Raya Oh Raya...

It's been ages. I have been busy with Ramadan and Raya preparations. Alhamdulillah Aiman and Adib completed the whole month of fasting. And most excitingly is having my two girls back from Alor Setar, Kedah and Kuantan, Pahang Malaysia. Due to H1N1 we were not sure whether to book their tickets back to Brunei. But not having one of us during Raya festival is something very very incomplete. Alhamdulillah, finally they are back for Raya. Last year, both of them were in Tanjong Malim with their Nenek, aunties, uncles and cousins. Poor babies. =(

We enjoyed our Raya even though this year we did not "balik kampung". We had our open house on the 4th day of Raya. The first wave was amongst my colleagues and Najwa's friends. The second wave was much more bigger and tiring. We had to borrow Pengiran Babu's (Cal's mom-in-law) giant pots to prepare the dishes. Nasi Tebu is this year special menu. We also had chicken curry, sweet sour fish, acar and rendang etc.. etc.. to syncronize with the Nasi Tebu. Thanks Babu for the pots. Thanks to Mr Jawed for the recipe. We hosted the second open house after our close friends came back from their hometowns to Brunei. It's nice to be together again. =)

Hj Omar Has Gone Back For Good. -25th February 2009

I have known him for almost nine years. Ever since he came to my office selling Brunei traditional cakes such as katilapam (apam), jelurut, curry puff, cakoi, kacang kuda, steamed sweet corn, nasi lemak, hati buyah (paru goreng) etc.

I will buy at least a dollar a day from him. Well, not sure if I'm obligated or feel pitiful for him. But I just like to see him at the staircase while he displaying his stuff. Sometimes we chat. He rides on a bicycle everyday with his "kuih-muih" in the box at the back of his bicycle. Has been in Brunei for more than 40 years, hehe about my age! He started selling in Kampung Ayer, the native at that time.

He is 63 this year, but when I asked my colleagues they roughly guesstimated he is around 40-50 plus. Why? Because he doesn't look that old to us. I told my colleagues, "Guys, the moral is, sell our car and buy a BICYCLE!" We even make jokes with him to advertise in Yellow Pages. Haha! That was Azmi several years ago asking to advertise. He will just laugh and smile. Ah Tiong even offered him Yellow Pages' bag for him to carry along. I asked EL to sell his car and buy bicycle instead, to look younger than our age, but he said, "Ka Ann tah saja dulu" Funny! We laughed out loud once.

I remember when I was carrying Adib in 2002, I will look forward for him coz I'm craving for the "apam" and sometimes "kacang kuda" coz he was like "macam-macam ada"... and when I gave birth to Adib, my friend said Adib has his skin.. hihi.. no offence but I told them "kenan kali aa.." in Brunei language.

A night before he went back for good to India on the 5th of February 2009, we invited him for a dinner at home. He was so happy and felt sorry at the same time because he couldn't make it to our Open House during Hari Raya. He was just like a father and he reminds me of my father as well. You will be missed Hj Omar, by me and your customers in Brunei! May Allah be with you always!

Bersunat, berkhatan and circumcise...

6th December 2008. We plan to register Aiman for his circumcision. I never had experience with boys before. Well, my feelings are mixed. Nervous and worry. Nervous because this is my first experience and worry that Aiman will have to be under confinement after the "sunat". I asked my friends Mida, Hajah, and Faridah who have sons and experienced and gone through all these worries.

During school holiday I called up RIPAS and it has to be on queue and Aiman's turn will be on the 25th of December 2009. Private clinics in Brunei have the service but Papa wants a Malay Doctor to do it. We decided to send him to a private clinic in Limbang after consulting with Zalinah, she said Klinik Dr Abd Rahman is having the service. Alhamdulillah, we do not have to worry much about it. But I was still worry about how to take care of him. Messaged my elder sister and she advised not to drink too much water and avoid allergic foods especially seafood.

We pushed off to Limbang earlier just to be in time. Aiman was prepared for he had done some research about it by asking Mustafa, his friend and some other friends too. He was strong and confident. I'm proud of him. When we took him to see the doctor, he was cool. I know he was scared inside but as we explained it's part of Islamic practice and it is encourage to do so. Cause there are reasons for what He asked us to. Cleanliness and Healthy. That's the answer. So Dr Rahman asked us to wait outside while he does the minor operation. According to Aiman, Dr Rahman recited prayers before the operation. Papa has gone to the toilet, nervous he said. To our surprise, within 30 minutes, it was done! ALHAMDULILLAH. And Aiman was in his jeans already.. it was the "clamp" method. It's Adib's turn next and he said "not until I'm nine years old". :D