Bila Pula Mak Long Jadi Ah Long?

(Catatan 1 Syawal Yang Tertinggal)

1. Tahun ini adik beradik saya berkumpul di rumah (arwah) emak di selesai solat Aidilfitri. Sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini begitulah... Walaupun di rumah ini adik-adik yang masih bujang mendiami, kami masih anggap ia rumah emak!

2. Selesai berfoto dan bermaafan, Kak Long sekeluarga berangkat ke rumah mertua di Sengkang.

3. Setelah menolong mengemas apa yang patut, saya sekeluarga berangkat ke rumah mertua saya di Sri Ramunia. Dan seperti biasa kami perlu melalui depan rumah Kak Long.

Zaujah berkata "Slow down.. kalau Kak Long masih belum ke Sengkang, kita singgah berraya sat!"

Ternyata Kak Long dah berangkat terus dari rumah emak tanpa singgah di rumahnya. Dan kami terpandang iklan ini di depan rumahnya.....

Anak saya bertanya sambil ketawa "Sejak bila pula Mak Long jadi Ah Long?"

Kami pun ketawa bersama. Dan hati saya tertanya "Tak guna betul balaci Ah Long ni! Gantung iklan ini depan surau dan rumah Kak Long saya!"

Raya Suprises

1. Just a few days before Raya, I received a beautiful and ribboned bamboo basket. A gift (bottles of yummy cookies) with a SHR card from Haji Sidi Oraza. What a suprise? Wonder "Apa anginnya"? I have only met him twice if I am not mistaken. We went for haj in the same (late last) year but failed to "terserempak" while we were there.


2. A day before Raya while crossing the busy road in front of Pasar Muar (where I bought 2 lamb legs), I heard someone called my name. His voice seems familiar. I have heard that voice many many times since I was a little boy. Then I saw this old man on a kapcai passed by in front of me. He is no other than Pak Utih, my late mother's younger brother. Unfortunately he was unable to stop his kapcai along the very busy road and I only managed to say "Oh Pak Utih!".

I told myself and my siblings that I must visit him this Raya. Unfortunately I had to spend most of my Raya break in Batu Pahat. To my Pak Utih "Selamat Hariraya & Maaf Zahir Batin. Sorry for not being able to visit you this year!" Hopefully this Raya Haji.

3. I spent the last Ramadhan and the Eid morning at my late mum's house. For the last iftar, my beloved wife prepared an Irish Lamb Stew. I asked my sister and her family to join us. Her husband loves lamb stew very much ever since he tasted it at the KK Secret Recipe. Unfortunately, they had to attend their ketupat final preparation.

My brother bought French bread to go along with the stew. My goodness, it was so delicious that my "growing" niece almost ate it all. I had to remind her to save some for her dad and mum. My brother sent some to our sister and saved a small piece for his late supper. He must have like the stew too.

4. The Raya morning my wife cooked lamb beryani. "So sedapppp" too although she forgot to add salt to the rice.

And before my sister and her family left to Sengkang, she dropped a bombshell. She indicated that our younger brother may be ready to get hitched (to his latest girlfriend). His fiancee died in a freak road accident a few days before Raya 3 years ago. He has been so depressed since the incident as our mum had just passed away 3 weeks before that.

My sister's kids mentioned about this "Malay Union" thing which I don't really understand what was the underlaying story behind it. I just could not be bothered to ask for details. But I am looking forward for "A Malay (Couple) ReUnion" as soon as possible.


5. 2nd raya we went to visit my wife's uncles and aunts. We learned that one of the uncles has been elected as an imam. What a suprise said one of the aunts.

6. We also learned that an unstable man hanged himself in Sri Medan Mosque on the last day of Ramadhan. I have never heard such case before i.e. a man hangs himself in a mosque.