Nine Years...

...of Nina

It is the second year running Nina's birthday falls during the holy month of Ramadhan.

Despite the fasting month, it does not stop us from celebrating the occasion.

It is just a simple event, we just go out after the final Terawih of 1431 Hijrah and buy a simple cake.

Nina is happy with the cake and just like her during her baby years, the attraction to cakes and candles is the same for Lisa.

With Che joining in and recites the doa and has a piece of the cake, it is certainly a moment to remember.

Nina as usual, enjoys her cake to the fullest.


...

MERDEKA!

MERDEKA!
MERDEKA!

Yesterday was the 53rd Merdeka Celebration for Malaysians.

For the first time the celebration was done indoors at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil. Perhaps taking into consideration it was the fasting month of Ramadhan, the organizing committee decided as such.

The usual Merdeka Day Parade was not included in the programme this time around making the celebration the shortest ever in mad redo1's memory. But still, he was right there in front of the TV watching the historic event unfolded via the live telecast on TV3 anchored by Ally Iskandar and Ahmad Fidtrie.

Then off he went to dreamland.

In the afternoon mad redo1 and Linda went to see AKS#1 at her hostel. Her mother had busied herself in the kitchen while mad redo1 was sleeping, preparing the food to bring to our beloved AKS and it was quite a reward seeing the smile on her face.

Then on our way home we met with a usual scene on holidays or weekends.

The damned rempits were at it again!

Well, from the actions they were displaying to the onlookers it made my idea of having a legal place for them to carry out such activities sound more sensible by the day. Unfortunately under the current climate I do not see anyone willing to champion this cause due to the amount of money needed.

But still it is something worthwhile to ponder on while chewing the roti telur on the eve of the next Merdeka Day.

HAPPY MERDEKA DAY, MALAYSIA!

...

A Year...

...Passes.

From the moment she cried her first wail after the Maghrib adzan a year ago, Ainnur Khalisa Shukriah has been a source of joy to all of us in the household. It is good to have a baby again, it gives you the sense of being needed by someone. But a baby is a work in progress, and the rate of its growth is something that you wish can be slowed down a bit. Just so that it will remain... well, as a baby.

Sounds a bit selfish isn't it but I believe many parents are wishing the same thing, to see their off-springs remain as they are the day they were born. Children grow up at a really fast rate. For mad redo1 it still feel like yesterday he received his first bundle of joy way back in 1997, now AKS#1 has entered secondary school phase and AKS#2 is in Year 3.

But for the third AKS, she is still a baby in mad redo1's eyes. And today it has been a year since she joined us in the family. 

Her birthday is not a spectacular event but mad redo1 hopes it will be enough to be remembered for the whole life-time.

Ainnur Khalisa Shukriah, HAPPY BIRTHDAY my baby, may be this is the first of many more to come.

...

Berg...

...is Leaving.

In a few hours time mad redo1 will bid adieu to Khadijah a.k.a AKS#1.

Why?

Because she is going to begin living in a hostel as she begins her life in secondary school.

As parents you dread the day when your offsprings find their wings and leave the nest. Though where Berg is continuing her studies is not that far, in fact just ten to fifteen minutes drive from our home but it is not having her around is going to be a bit strange.

Nonetheless we must accept this as part of life which always see your loved ones leaving home as a way to go on with their life, be it in order to pursuit higher education or higher pay.

Whatever it is, mad redo1 will certainly miss his AKS#1.

Good luck Berg!

...

Early...

...Departure.

It was just about a month a part but mad redo1 was shocked when he was notified about the death of two persons that he knew from childhood.

Just a day after celebrating his 39th year in existence, mad redo1 read on his Facebook notification that a friend from his SMSD days had passed away suddenly. Hasmadi Sulong complained about having chest pain to his wife and then slipped into un-counciousness.

He was brought to the emergency room of the Darul Ehsan Medical Centre but was pronounced dead-on arrival. Hasmadi was just 39 years old. Later mad redo1 was informed it was something related to the heart.

Then just over a month later another death.

This time it was someone in the family and it was quite surprising especially with the one who was called to meet Him was a nephew. A young man who I believe was in his early thirties. Leaving behind a young wife and a young baby.

The cause of death was told as choking.

Death always make you feel vulnerable about your mortality especially now there are more people dying young. It is quite rare to find anybody who is really ready to face their own death but as muslims we should accept they will happen when it should happen, not a moment later, not a few seconds too soon.

...