Family Get-Together at Bidara House...

“The informality of family life is a blessed condition that allows us all to become our best while looking our worst...” – Marge Kennedy

(All in the family, cheerful and noisy)

It was our turn to host the first family gathering for 2019.

Less than a month after my cervical neck bone operation, I am still experiencing that depressing chronic fatigue syndrome. Daily housework can be challenging enough. And it can be more exhausting to just think about what need to be done around the house and what dishes to cook for the family gathering.

To conserve energy and not to aggravate my existing symptoms, we decided to order Lamb and Chicken Nasi Arab from Hadramawt Restaurant for the main dish. The rest of the food was pot-luck dishes and dessert from the rest of the family. And the food was in abundance!

After a sumptuous dinner, we had a discussion about the details of the up-coming event of our niece Tasha’s wedding to be held in early March.

(A spread of dishes readily served in the kitchen)

(Living room, for the gentlemen)

(Dining table, the ladies favorite corner)

(Our antique rattan rocking chairs still serve their purposes)

Back bone surgery...

"Time doesn't heal anything. It just teaches us how to live with the pain..."

(The MRI results)

I was diagnosed with chronic Cervical spondylosis.

This condition is often characterised by intervertebral disk degeneration of the cervical spine. Based on the MRI results I have herniated cervical disks at C3/C4, C4/C5 and C6/C7. The spine specialist suspected my constant pain in the upper back, neck and shoulder joints is caused by the impingement of the exiting nerve roots.

The Spine Specialist suggested an operation to treat the herniated cervical disks. Under general anesthesia, I undergone an hour of non-invasive laser operation and warded for two days. They had scheduled a few follow-up appointments with the specialist and physio-therapist. For now I had to wear a neck brace for a month and refrain from riding or travelling long distance for the next three months.

At my age, I guess I need more time to recuperate.

(Grounded for good)

Family Get Together at Pasir Ambur...

"It's all about quality of life and finding a happy balance between work and friends and family..." -  Philip Green

(The Black Team, Sara and family is missing)

We had a family get together at Zin's Resort in Pasir Ambur.

We had lots of fun activities during the day. There are a few ponds in the vicinity around the resort complex and we tried our skills in fishing and caught quite abundance. Ikan bakar would be one of the main dishes for dinner. To cool off, we went for a swim and played water games in the pool. Later, while the ladies prepared dinner, the kids had a go on the ATV.

We performed solat berjemaah and had a simple majlis tahlil before our BBQ dinner. There were enough rooms for everyone but we decided to spend the night in the tent instead.

(Hana with her catch)

(Children playing in the wading pool)

(The adults swimming pool by the resort)

(Hana on the ATV, the resort complex on the background)

(Some preferred to sleep in the tent by the pool)

Christmas Lunch @ Chibiuk...

"There are moments and days when I want to freeze time, and there are days I wish away..." - Sarah Williams

(More than four decades of friendship)

It's the comradeship, more than anything else...

Before the end of the year we had another get together of the SMKB gang. Nik Arif and Hamidah were also here in town. They flew in from the USA a week before to attend the funeral of Nik Arif's beloved mother.

Salam Takziah from the gang. Al-fatihah...

(The lovely ladies)

(And the gentlemen)

Lunch at GPO with the grandkids...

"The time is always right to do the right thing..." Martin Luther King, Jr. 

(The grandkids at Genting Premium Outlet)

Today we drove up to the Genting Premium Outlet and spent some quality time with the kids and grandchildren there.

The weather was beautiful in the morning, but it rained heavily in the afternoon. We had a sumptuous lunch at Absolute Thai before we drove downhill back to our Putramas Apartment.

(Mouth watering platter)

(Sweet sour crispy garoupa)

(Crispy catfish with Kerabu Mangga)

(Decoration at the cash counter)