weekend @ grandma's pt 1

The 10^th of Ramadan saw the hottest day for the month yet. It seems the further you get into the month the hotter it becomes and the tougher the trials. I think we can survive without food on a hot day but water now that’s another story. On a fasting day with weather like that you can help but feel the lethargy kick and your throat really dry but you stick to the program and keep telling yourself a few hours more a few hours more. It’s a battle in itself but its one that we aim to win – God willing.

My trip to grandma’s which usually takes about 45 minutes took us 2 ½ hours. The traffic from the immigration checkpoint trailed all the way back to the Bukit Timah Expressway(BKE) which is the main expressway into Johore. The traffic seems so haphazard, the motorcycles overtaking the car lanes an it seems the motorcycles were all over the place – talk about more tests. It’s not usually that jammed up on a Saturday afternoon but I guess for some reason everyone decides to go into Johore today.

We ended up breaking our fast on the road seeing that we were still at the immigration check point when the call to prayer was heard. So to break our fast we had mints seeing that we didn’t have dates with us – it was kind of funny in a good way – I guess next time we have to remember to carry dates in our bag for the just in case days like these. My cousin her hubby the kids and another cousin was stuck in another car and they didn’t get to my grandma’s house till a little after eight by then everyone had finished eating. By the time we got to grandma’s house, everyone has already started and some were about done I guess we didn’t get that chance to break fast together but we however made it up during the morning meals. Blurry eyed cousins and aunts and uncles and mom sitting around the table having our morning meal – which was nice too. My morning meal usual involves me and mom or sometimes alone seeing mom likes to have hers early while I like mine late.

After the meal, the call to prayer was heard indicating that the days fast has started. The thing I like about being at my grandma’s is that during morning prayers we do the congregational prayers. This brings the family together I think and for my uncle and his family the congregational prayer is a must for all 5 times that we pray everyday if everyone was home if not its usually the evening prayers. He has instilled this in his children and even when he is away on business his eldest son will lead the congregational prayer.

In all Saturday was nice – we caught up with each other, talking about the new house and ate way into the night ;)) what can I say every time I am at grandma’s there always seem to be something to munch on ;))… dried fruits, nuts, fruits you name it its on the shelves and in the fridge, its all a matter of helping yourself ……… and we cant forget what great cooks the maids are. Through her I think we have had to experience many types of food we wouldn’t have otherwise tried. She can make crackers from rice; she makes the best banana crackers and tapioca crackers. She is just good at what she does and she can even plant fruits and vegetables which she helps her husband do sometimes at my uncles’ fruit farm. So yeah what can I say that house is food heaven too ;))