Seriously or relaxingly

Over the two weeks school holiday I was loaded with school works. Yes, the school was on holidays but we teachers have papers to mark, paper works to do, data base to create, etc. But it was still holidays because I got to cook lunch and dinner for my family while doing my school works.

On the first week I was so tied up with the list of things that I need to do. Cooking and other house choses were done like a zombie - almost without any feeling. Too tense to enjoy myself. But on the second week I decided to give myself a break. The four days that I spend at my hometown I didn't bring any school work along. It was time to enjoy the scenic view and the delectable local dishes. And not to forget my mom's nostalgic cooking. The local dishes are superb. I can order any dish from any stall and each and everyone of them are so delicious. I can't have that luxury here in Kuala Lumpur. You have to pick and choose where you want to eat. And laksa in Kuala Lumpur just doesn't taste the same as in Kedah. 

Then back home I squeeze my hobby into my daily chores. Instead of just watering my plants (there are plenty of them) I went to the nursery twice to add some more plants, including vegetable plants. I now have three pots of brinjal and four pots of tomatoes. Not to forget four pots of chilly from two species. I found myself loosen up a bit and have more things to cherish in life. Never mind the number of things that I didn't manage to get done in time. I will find the time to do it later. Never mind that data base wasn't created yet. My family is always more important than my work. Not forgetting my plants. And my fish in the pond. And my chicken in the coop. And the filming of the launching of the water rockets that my little Aiman is making everyday (he watches you tube on water rocket everyday). And listening tot my two sons' experiences at the Pizza Hut working as part time staffs there. And the simplest of all - just sitting down on the garden chair every evening watching my garden.

Thank you Allah for everything. Thank you for each simple and small things. Thank you for this family of mine. Alhamdulillah. Praise be to Allah.

May Allah bless us all.

delectable - (of food or drink) delicious : delectable handmade chocolates.

• chiefly humorous extremely beautiful or attractive : the delectable Ms. Davis.

Hometown

The lush greenish paddy field on both sides of the highway indicated that we are nearing our destination. I just love this scene with stock birds lazing around fishing for small fish. The Kedah's 'islands', as my dad often called it, are small raised up lands in the middle of the paddy fields that placed a few houses with lots of tress. You don't need fans in the middle of the afternoon for the moving breeze from the vast paddy fields had no barrier on its way. If there is flood, the whole area will look like sea. 

Coming back to my hometown rekindled old memories. Staying in the hut in the middle of the durian plantation, it was so much fun for a small kid like me. My uncle, cousins and I would wander around the plantation at the first peak of the morning sun to search for fallen durians. Our midnight dreams sometimes will be disturbed by the sound of the falling durians. I would smile for I wanted to be the first to pick it up tomorrow morning. Hawkers would come around 10 a.m. to buy the durians from us. 

We equipped ourselves with a pack of rice and some dried fish. Instead of frying the dried fish, we would sometimes grilled it on top of the flame. I just love playing around the fire. The mosquitoes didn't really bothered me. 

Sometimes I would quietly take grandma's container from the kitchen to catch small prawn in the big ditch behind Tok Tam's house. I could get a kilogram of it easily. Or I would follow Abang Mi in his quest to catch fish from the river using a special net that he would spread into the water and trapped the fish below. During harvesting season, the irrigated river would be drained from water. That's when the whole village would go down and treaded the muddy shallow water and try to catch fish, snails and the such. 

Things have changed so much now. Thank you Allah for all the good times. Alhamdulillah.

May Allah bless us all. Amin.