I just got back from my kampung (hometown) last night. Traffic was quite smooth, we left Kedah at 6pm and reached KL at 12 midnight..
Well..I guess I'll share what I did during raya..
18/9/09 (Friday)
We (my eldest sis n my youngest sis together with my 2yr old nephew) left KL for kampung. We reached Sungai Petani and did a spot of grocery shopping at Tesco for upcoming hari raya - noodles, rice, cooking oil, fish, dishwashing liquid, snacks etc etc well..2 trolleys...fully loaded..
We reached my parents' house about 5pm and my parents were busy preparing food for buka puasa - mee bandung, pulut sekaya http://darirumahkakton.blogspot.com/2009/04/seri-muka.html and fish curry http://hanieliza.fotopages.com/?entry=1359691 . Since we also bought crabs at Tesco earlier, my sis cooked chilly crab to add to the buka puasa spread.
19/9/09 (Saturday) hari raya eve..
My sis woke me up early morning for sahur...too lazy to wake but it was a last sahur for Ramadhan 2009 n decided to drag myself up :-(
After sahur and subuh prayer I decided to go back to sleep..but when I was about to doze off my father called and asked me to prepare grocery list for him to buy at the local market. So, woke up n prepared the list - a short list.. since we've purchased most things at Tesco earlier..tried to go back to sleep but..."could you drive me to the market? Lots of stuffs to carry..." sigh....ok.
Came back from market with beef, chicken, vegetables and coconuts...had a short break and it was time to prepare for hari raya feast - ketupat http://fairy.mahdzan.com/story/207.asp , beef curry http://www.myresipi.com/top/detail/149 , rib soup http://periuktanah.blogspot.com/2009/03/akan-datang-sup-siam-tulang-rusuk.html etc including food for buka puasa...my sister decided to try and cook Nasi Maqlubah (upside down rice from Jordan). Recipe here http://www.zulismail.com/resepi.htm or just google for more versions.
Nasi Maqlubah
While peeling, slicing, cutting, chopping, wrapping etc my sister (4th sibling) arrived with her family...thank God more reinforcement to help out with the chores..
They left KL at 3am but due to heavy traffic they arrived at our kampung at 1pm! So..we asked them to take it easy and rest before pitching in to help with the chores..
After taking a nap, they started helping out with food preparation and cooking. The kids helped out with spring cleaning of the house and putting up curtains.
At 6pm, my brother (3rd sibling) arrived with his family..thank God more reinforcement...they brought with them more food - kanji http://www.myresipi.com/top/detail/5163 , rendang http://www.myresipi.com/top/detail/133 etc.
Buka Puasa Spread
Dig in guys...
After buka puasa, we continued with spring cleaning and food preparation...at about 1am, my brother (5th sibling) arrived with his family.
Busy in the kitchen
Fans need cleaning up too
Fixing up curtains
Even the young ones pitched in
Ah choo!! so much dust........................ Taking a break
Happy grandparents
20/9/09 (Sunday) Hari Raya
At about 2am we completed with all our chores and went to bed..exhausted.
Soo...tired...
Could you help me with my homework?
Hey guys I'm ready..why are you still sleeping? Wake up!! Raya prayer is at 8.30am..
As usual after raya prayer we did the usual thing of asking each other for forgiveness for whatever wrongs we did to each other and income earners distribute 'duit raya' (money) to non-income earners - children including college going kids. Then...family photo session...well no photo here.......
Shortly after, neighbours' kids started to pay my parents' house a visit...well more like collecting duit raya rounds......
Giving out duit raya to young guests
Then my parents, sisters, brothers, nieces n nephews grouped together and paid our neighbours raya visits. Ha ha more food......laksa, mihun sup etc.
After the visit, they came back and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Exhausted after looong night...
My nieces playing
Shower time
In the evening, guests trickled in.....
Entertaining guests
Isyak prayer.................................I'm tired zzzz...................After prayer drink
Enough meat for today..I'll have fried dried fish for supper..
At about 9pm, my sis (2nd sibling) arrived home with her family. As usual they departed KL for Kedah after Raya prayer and met up with my bro-in-law's sister in KL.
Sparklers time
Bonding with 'pirate game'.................and conquer the world with 'risk'
Lets play uno...........................................................and life
21/9/09 (Monday)
My father called his cousin telling her that we are paying her family a visit....
On the way we spotted a stall selling mihun sup (noodle soup) and decided to stop.
Slurp......
We reached my father's cousin's kampung and stared.....God!! the access road is narrow...just enough for one car to pass trough at a time.....scary....
View from the house
Meeting generations of cousins
After the visit, we proceeded to Alor Setar to visit another cousin of my father. His wife passed away recently. Then proceeded next door to his sis-in-law house (my uncle passed away for few years already).
After Alor Setar, My brother (5th sibling) and his family proceeded to Jitra to his in-laws house and the other brother (3rd sibling) and his family proceeded to Seberang Perai to his sis-in-law's house.
The rest drove back and reached my kampung almost 10.30pm. Everyone had showers and some decided to sleep, chit-chatted and some stayed up to play 'risk'.....
Granddad and grandson - Not a healthy habit to instil.....
22/9/09 (Tuesday)
After late breakfast my sis (2nd sibling) got ready to leave for KL to visit her sis-in-law in Perak. They left at about 12 noon......traffic was quite heavy. They reached KL at about 9pm (they only stopped for 1 hour at my my sis's sis-in-law's house).
My eldest sis, me, my youngest sis and my nephew left kampung for KL at 5.30pm.....
23/9/09 (Wednesday)
Last family left kampung for KL...
Insyaallah we'll meet again next raya.......
