Week One and Two January '06

Three of us, Tessa Ram and I were in JB for the Eid’l Adha celebration and spent 3 nights with Ram’s sisters Siti and Shidah. Tessa drove us in her Honda Jazz. We returned to PJ in the afternoon of Eid’l Adha. While in JB, I had some discussions with my brothers and sisters, mum in the lead discussion as usual, on some aspects of investments we plan to make for our family group funds. As a result, some of us have to do some more work in order to proceed. It is part of our responsibilities anyway, and me, being the eldest and by default, I have to take the lead in the exercise. I do hope I will continue getting the support of my siblings and their families.

As planned, Ram and I left for Bintulu on Friday 13th. We flew Air Asia, the budget airline with a tagline “Now Everyone Can Fly” which we had booked about six weeks
ago and the air fare costs us only a quarter of the normal Senior Citizen air fare on board the national airline. It is a no frills airline but they do sell food and other stuff on board and at reasonable prices too. There is some service after all, albeit ‘paid’ service, but then again, isn’t the service provided by other airlines paid too?.

We arrived in Bintulu on time and on arrival at Shaffik’s house, the two boys were eagerly waiting for us, not so much in meeting us but more of excitement to see what we have for them in our bags. They were very helpful, understandably, rolling our bags into the house and eagerly hugging and kissing us, ahem! But 11 months old Baby Haadieya however kept her distance from us initially. She kept eyeing us from a distance, and would crawl away if we try to get near her. We spent the rest of the afternoon coaxing her before she could comfortably sit in our lap!! By evening, we’ve won her. She will readily expect us to carry her!!

The two boys could not wait for us to open our bags. Haziq came and asked me if I have the keys to open the locked bags. I said yes but there is nothing inside the bag except Tok Bah’s and Tok Mi’s clothes. “No toys for us?”, he asked. I pretended
not to know and asked what toys? “Toys for us to play”, he said. “Oh, I forgot if I had put any toy inside my bag for you”, I replied. “Ok, easy, open your bag and we see” he said, with the seriousness of a 4 year old in anticipation. Babang, his 5 year old elder brother just stood by quietly and smiled all the time, perhaps seeing through my pretence, ha ha!! After opening the bags both of them were excited over their toys and noisy as usual. The little sister appeared lost in all the commotion that she did not pay any attention to the toy we brought for her and it ended up in the hands of Haziq who, although excited over toys of his age is equally comfortable with toys of a one year old!! Babang kept reminding him saying, “Dedek, that is not your toy. That toy is only for baby. Dedek is no more a baby!!” But Dedek like this toy, he replied… hmmmmm….. that was that, no argument……

MKI Ramblings Unlimited
Bintulu