Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to dear wife Anna

Son David is away probably celebrating his birthday with his girl friend. Daughter is away studying in the uni in Kuala Terrengganu. So just the two of us left at home.

Expresso Macchiato coffee and brownies at Secret Recipe
In the afternoon took wife out for tea at the local Secret Recipe outlet at Metro Point Kajang. Even before I uttered the word "Secret Recipe" dear wife suggested it first. Is it any wonder that after so many years of marriage and living together we have the knack of thinking the same thoughts together. Sometimes she has this uncanny ability to read my thoughts even before I could express it in words. Call it a woman's intuition if you want.

At the store I ordered walnut brownie for myself and Vienna brownie and Expresso Macchiato coffee for dear wife. As expected when the brew came in a tiny cup dear wife complained how expensive to pay and consume such a small quantity of coffee. I explained to her patiently that you were supposed to savour the brew sip by sip, just like drinking wine and not gulp it all own the throat in one go like drinking water from a glass.

She liked the Vienna brownie though not particularly impressed by the tiny weeny cup of expresso. As for the walnut brownie she was put off by the dark brown chocolate coating and opined that it was too "heaty". After taking a few sips of the brew I offered to finish the coffee for her.

We sat there and enjoyed our refreshment and a pleasant and cosy conversation for about half hour before we walked over to nearby Mydin to buy some sundry goods. Sometimes simple activities like having a warm conversation over a cup of coffee and some cakes can give more pleasure than eating a elaborate and expensive meal in a fancy restaurant.

Thuen Yuen Restaurant
7.30pm. Slight drizzle. We were cruising around the eateries at Taman Prima looking for something to eat. Then my eye caught this nondescript drab-looking Chinese restaurant located in the centre of a block of shop houses that is always packed full with customers each time I drive by the place. I had suggested to dear wife and son to try out this restaurant on a few occasions in the past but never got round to doing it. Since there was only two of us around at home tonight tonight decided to try its cooking.

Surveying the crowd I noticed most of the dinners comprised mainly of family members who opted to dine out instead of eating at home.

Knowing that I like fish Anna ordered steamed fish and stir-fried young long beans. The long beans were cooked tender and quite crunchy in the mouth. The steamed fish came in the right portion just right for two persons. The fish cooking was superb. The Poh Leh Chinese tea ordered by dear wife was pleasant enough to wash down the food. When the bill came I was almost shocked in disbelief. For a plate of steamed fish, stir-fried vegetables, rice and Poh leh tea, the restaurant charged us RM20.00 only! Have not tasted such delicious cooking at so affordable price for a long time. Now this explains why despite it's unfavourable location and shabby appearance so many customers patronise this shop.

"Let's come back to this restaurant another time with David and Amy for dinner!" dear wife enthused happily as I pulled away from the roadside kerb after the satisfying dinning experience. Obviously she was impressed with the good food and the affordable price that the restaurant charged its customers.

Liberation and release from sufferings.

My mother passed away at 10.15pm in Ipoh on this day. She was 82 years old on the day of her death.

Late night phone calls hours before her passing
7.30pm Inti College Nilai car park, minutes before I was to conduct the Wed self defence class. My third brother TM told me on the phone that Mother suffered a stroke last night and felled down on the floor bruising the temple on the right side of her head. As a result her mouth was twisted one side, lost the ability to swallow fluid, lost bodily sensation on one side of the body, her right temple was swollen due to the fall, couldn't speak. He told me that the family doctor who attended to Mother advised the family to prepare for the worse.

Immediately I told him that I would go back to Ipoh on Fri.

11.30pm. Home after returning from self defence class in INti. TM broke the sad news that Mother had passed away. Told TM not to wait for all the family members to gather in Ipoh but to take charge of the funeral arrangements.

Daughter to stay put in her uni in Kuala Terrenganu for her exams
Told wife and son that we would have to pack up and go to Ipoh tomorrow for the funeral rites. As for daughter who is currently preparing for her end of her year exams in her uni in Kuala Terrengannu we decided to bar her from going with us despite her vehement protest over the phone. Her exam is scheduled on Sun and she might not have enough time to return to her uni after the burial to get ready for the exam. We thought that the burial will not happen earlier than Sat and it would be disrespectful to leave before the burial rites.

Mother's long illness
Mother had been suffering from severe depression, hyper-tension, diabetes and other medical ailments for about 10 years since Dad passed away 20 years ago. She gradually lost her memory and also her ability to look after herself. For the last 5 years the situation had gotten so bad that she was bedridden most of the time. All this while third brother and his wife have been caring and attending to her needs.

Accepting the inevitable and letting go
Although the death of a loved one can be difficult to accept, I feel that in her case due to the long illness with no hope of cure death should be seen as a release or liberation from earthly sufferings, both for her and to the family members.

Strangely when I heard the news, I was totally calm and even felt a sense of relief that her earth-bound sufferings had finally come to an end. When I spoke to my brothers and sister on the phone, they all sound calm and normal. I guess long time ago since Mother had become bedridden and incapable of looking after herself all of us in the family had already accepted the inevitable.

Farewell dearest mother.

May you finally gain supreme liberation and be free from all human sufferings.