My 2008 Raya

My Girls Moments Before We Drove Back to USJ.

I’ve been meaning to write something about my Raya this year (just like in previous years). However, somehow I felt something was amiss during this year’s festivity. Sure, we did the usual balik kampung and cooking, eating, and visiting families and relatives stuff but it just didn’t feel like Raya as in previous years. Perhaps I was simply tired (still am) – who wouldn’t if you have been following the political and economic saga of Malaysia a tad too closely. Very unsettling... The truth is my mouse kept on gravitating towards Malaysiakini website and a few popular SOPO blogs. Sigh!
Having said that, Raya 2008 was still a happy occasion though... maybe this time around, when we went visiting, a couple of our relatives were feeling under the weather. Even my mother was down with high fever on the second day of Raya (alhamdulillah she’s better the next day). It’s kind of a reality check for me though that we are all getting older...
And I haven’t even met and beraya with my eldest brother and his family yet (as they balik kampung to Dungun this year). We missed out on meeting each other as they visited my mak at the tail end of Ramadan enroute to the east coast. We came back one day before Raya
Then on Yan’s sides, my two brothers in law too didn’t come back home too(fortunately the Cheras kids came back on Raya pertama minus their parents). And Yong our eldest sister celebrated Hari Raya in her baju kurung Kedah at home in Simpang Pulai jaga her new cucu.
But Raya this year’s also had its fair share of “drama” for our household.

* First was the incident at Jalan TAR – on a Sunday before Raya. You can read it here

* Then on to the eve of Hari Raya, soon after we settle down after buka puasa, suddenly a cicak out of nowhere accidentally landed on Asma’s lap. That’s kampung life, girls. Deal with it! And she screamed and screamed and screamed and screamed.... It’s rather funny, I must say. But Asma really was scared so much so that her Opah Temoh offered her wheelchair to Asma, now that she won’t touch the floor no matter what. So for the remaining of malam Raya, Asma sat on the wheelchair and wheeled her way around the house.

* Then a certain niece who happen to be an engineer brought back her kek batik for all to share only to find that the cake turned rather hard. In the end, with semangat Raya still lingering on, a certain resourceful aunt brought out a hammer to help cut the cake. Yes, we used a hammer to cut the cake. Instead of feeling offended (I know I would) the said niece was such a good sport that she joined in the fun. But I‘ll still give the niece an “A” for her effort (as opposed to another certain niece who did nothing whatsoever considering that she’s a stay at home wife -- hint hint!). And the cake turned out quite tasty, I must say.

Anywaaay, the highlight of a our Raya, unfortunately, was when all five of us trooped to Sunway Pyramid TGV on day 5 to watch the delightful Mamma Mia The Movie. Meryl Streep was simply glorious in the lead role. And the ABBA songs? Need I say more????? Go watch the movie....
And enjoy the Rumah Terbuka!!!!