Family Gathering

We visited our second maternal uncle, Wak Din, in hospital a couple of weeks ago and then, two weeks later, he died. Inalillah, etc, etc. It's funny how these things can sometimes lead to positive outcomes. In our case, having met the cousins at his wake spurred us to organise for a get-together a month later on this day in April.

It was meant to be a no-parents gathering but someone accidentally let the proverbial cat out of the bag and so, enter the makciks, pakciks, and everyone else in between from maids to maggots (babies below 7 years old).

We did not really manage to catch up with one another, find out what's going on in everybody's lives, as much as we wanted to. But it was a good feeling anyways to just hang out with old and new faces. People you don't really know very much about, but to whom you feel strangely connected. Just because somewhere somehow we share the same blood.

Not surprisingly, there were heaps of food. It was a potluck arranegement, whereby each person was told in advance what to bring. Mine was desserts, and Uncle Ari very kindly sponsored beautiful cakes and pastries from Sun Moulin... the strawberry cake was divine! Likewise the choc fudge. I didn't even bother with the cream puffs but everyone said everything was good. Mommy told everyone that Armando made them... ha, ha ;-).

It was held at Kak Ros and Abang Badli's condo, at the BBQ area. We even had a spot of karaoke. I sang Love Hurts by Nazareth with Abang Bad. So minah, "rock 4eva" kinda thing. It was a laugh! You go try to carry that high-pitched rock ballad with another screamer and tell me if you could do an encore. I couldn't.

Wak Sa'ad (Wak Lilim's hubby), Wak Lilim (Mom's eldest sis) and Mommy

Bug & Bobo

Clockwise from left (back row): Eva (Bo's helper), Bug (my 2nd sis), Bola (Bug's son), Lin (cousin Rizal's wife), Pat (cousin Yati's 1st), Yati (cousin), me (Banana), Ros (hostess with the mostest and eldest cousin), I dunno what this boy's name is but he is Abg Ijat's son... I think, Putera's back (Ros' son's back), unknown, Yati's youngest child Ayuni, Heidi (my goddaughter), Bobo (my 3rd sis), Yati's maid

Bo and Bola play house

Ros' hubby, Abang Badli, tarik-ing Nazareth

We sing together. I feel true to my minah roots

(Bo, Lin and Yati) La la la... thank you, come again!

CNY 07

Here's the full entry on my Bangkok trip with my little bird.

I'm just gonna post photos on my whole four days of no work during the Chinese New Year period.

View from the top

We stayed at Holiday Inn Bangkok in Chit Lom

This was out first stop: Suan Lum

We took the big ferris wheel over there. It was my first time.

The people there are so spiritual. Many times a day I'd see people taking a few seconds to offer blessings whenever they come across a Buddhist shrine.

Cats there are fluffy

While the dogs are lazy. We saw this lazy fuzz butt at the MRT station in Ma Bu Kong

MLB loves the mango salad which actually has soft shell crab in the ingredient. Urgh.

They celebrate Chinese New Year too. This one's at The Amarin right across our hotel. I haven't seen a proper long dragon since I was living in Ang Mo Kio yeeeears back when I was still a toddler.

We went bowling on the fourth day of CNY. Here's Mr Bola showing his stuff in all his gusto.

EeEEEYah!

Strikestrikestrikestrikestrikestrike

Go Heidiiiiiii!!!

Huuuuarghk!

This one's going in (to the side) heh heh heh

Everybody clear out. Let the expert show you how it's done.

Pscyho is getting focused

Ok let's roll!

And it's aaaaa SteeeeeeeRIKE!

Bon Voyage, Mommy!

Okay we are not actually lazy children. In fact, we have taken many pictures the many times we hang out with our Mommy. We just forgot to update this blog... in fact, also our own personal blogs... uhrm, maybe we should start hiring staff to do the dirty work for us.

Anyways, fresh off the boat from the Land of Smiles last Monday (check out my colour! Rrrr) , I returned to Changi Airport again later that same day to bid adieu to our dearest Mom. It was a little delayed due to a medical scare (my mom's trip, not my return to Changi), but alhamdulillah, all is good in the end.

Mommy is always late! What are we kids supposed to do but turn trigger happy in the carpark by the hired Maxicab? Here are from left Banana, Bobo & Blackie.

And these are our feet. Clockwise from bottom Banana's, Bobo's, Blackie's.

My brudder Blackie and me Banana in front of Uncle's Maxicab. What, can't see Blackie? You dying, what?

Finally! In the Maxicab! Lollipop in, er, Lollipop's mouth and she is on Bobo's lap. Then Bola in the middle and Bug to the side.

And over on this side, Eva, Mommy and me.

Wah kencang seh, sungguh S Jibeng and M Daud Kilau. Inilah Mommy and Banana.

At Changi... Mommy cannot see flowers, one, surely must pose.

Ooh-err... time to go... bye Mother, take care, we love you, stay with Fish for as long as you want, she needs you... We'll be fine!

Uhuk-uhuk... bye Mommy... I'll miss your rendang.

OK now... really bye, Mommy! And Blackie, thanks for taking Mom to Blowfish... see you guys soon!