It was way past six am and I was already late for the wedding. Grabbed a tudung, (what is fashionably known as the emergency tudung), slid under the duvet again and turned on the Skpe.
So, there I was in my baju kelawar, under the duvet and yet at the wedding of my nephew Zhafri, in Bangi. Within minutes, I was in my sister's lounge. Saloma was singing the song 'Selamat Pengantin Baru", the children were running around, my siblings were making themselves busy and I was just a fly on the wall, watching it all happen.
And a feeling of sadness crept in as I watched the merriment and the banterings. It would have been too costly to go and we had just been back. But we sent a representative and her friends to the wedding. Rehana and two friends arrived a few days before the wedding and spent at least three days shopping for the right clothes for the wedding.
One by one, siblings and uncles and aunties came to the screen to talk to us in London. Such is the wonders of technology. Then, Mak slowly entered the frame, at which point, I choked back my tears. She called my name out loud several times but obviously couldnt hear my reply. Then she said she was at a wedding and was about to go home. She thought she was just visiting.
That is Mak. She is so forgetful now. Rehana said she asked her 'Mana Mak?' We have come to the conclusion that Mak in her old age is the most diplomatic person to walk this earth. She asks general questions and yet, people think she remembers. When my friends visited me when I was home, she'd say, "Laaaa, lama tak nampak!" which is of course true. But Pak Lang came online to me to say that she repeatedly asked Pak Lang (her brother) when he arrived. But that is Mak. And I am so happy to see her standing upright and enjoying yet another kenduri of another cucu.
So, there I was in my baju kelawar, under the duvet and yet at the wedding of my nephew Zhafri, in Bangi. Within minutes, I was in my sister's lounge. Saloma was singing the song 'Selamat Pengantin Baru", the children were running around, my siblings were making themselves busy and I was just a fly on the wall, watching it all happen.
And a feeling of sadness crept in as I watched the merriment and the banterings. It would have been too costly to go and we had just been back. But we sent a representative and her friends to the wedding. Rehana and two friends arrived a few days before the wedding and spent at least three days shopping for the right clothes for the wedding.
One by one, siblings and uncles and aunties came to the screen to talk to us in London. Such is the wonders of technology. Then, Mak slowly entered the frame, at which point, I choked back my tears. She called my name out loud several times but obviously couldnt hear my reply. Then she said she was at a wedding and was about to go home. She thought she was just visiting.
That is Mak. She is so forgetful now. Rehana said she asked her 'Mana Mak?' We have come to the conclusion that Mak in her old age is the most diplomatic person to walk this earth. She asks general questions and yet, people think she remembers. When my friends visited me when I was home, she'd say, "Laaaa, lama tak nampak!" which is of course true. But Pak Lang came online to me to say that she repeatedly asked Pak Lang (her brother) when he arrived. But that is Mak. And I am so happy to see her standing upright and enjoying yet another kenduri of another cucu.
As I had missed the bersanding, the newly weds oblidged by sitting on the simple dias again, just so I could take photographs.
Aaaah, I was there too, witnessed the bersanding, took pictures, heard the wedding songs and felt the excitement in the air. BUT I didnt get to eat the nasi kenduri!!
Aaaah, I was there too, witnessed the bersanding, took pictures, heard the wedding songs and felt the excitement in the air. BUT I didnt get to eat the nasi kenduri!!
SELAMAT PENGANTIN BARU ZHAFRI DAN FIZAH!!!
Fizah, welcome to the family!
Fizah, welcome to the family!
Mak pengantin waving at us - dah hilang stress?
All pictures taken via Skype camera. Syokkan?
Kak Teh Skyped here too:
32 comments:
Ah the wonders of technology! To be there when one can't really be there. :)
Kenny dear, that is so true. And I didnt have to change, even. Just put the tudung on, a little bit of lipstick so as not to scare the guests away - and then we skyped! What did we do before skype and internet?
Oh, by the way, where art thou now?
kak teh so near and yet so far eh?well at least you get to see them thru the lens...
Fuyooo... boleh gi kenduri pakai baju kelawar lagi! And boleh jaga badan some more... sebab tak leh makan lauk kenduri... :)
kak elle, thanks to modern technology. Cuma satu saja dia tak boleh buat : bau nasi kenduri tak dapat dihidu menerusi skype. Dan yang sedihnya tak boleh rasa!
Pi, banyak yang boleh save - baju tak payah beli, rambut tak payah pi set (memang tak payah pun) tak payah pakai gelang, cincin etc baru...DAN ya - tak payah makan nasi kenduri banyak2. Tapi memang rasa nak makan nasi kenduri sesangat!!!
Hahaha Kak Teh, you and your gang are so tech-savvy! How did you RSVP the invitation, by the way?
zendra, arent we? hehe , even mak at 93 has been skyping with me since i discovered skype. the only thing is that she needs an earphone sebab dah tak dengark.
RSVP? hmmmm, sms?
Silat and kompang masuk skype tak kak Teh. So wonderful. Sedih pun ada jugak.
hahaha Kak Teh! Ini macam pun boleh eh?!! Really, what would we become without such technology?!
sungguh canggih! glad you made it to the wedding, kak teh!
ps: rasanya you passed on your flu via the phonecall hari tu kot. dah 2 days I macam zombie with puffy + watery eyes and nose. huhu... the 'joys' of changing seasons!
u take care!
scottie... i mean kaytie, i'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll all make it to when we can be beamed holographically via a wristcam or some such. :D
selamat pengantin baru to your nephew and his beautiful bride.
your mak looks good. alhamdulillah!
p.s. hope yr tudung at least matched the duvet, if not the hidden baju kelawar*.
p.p.s *thank you for telling me what it was. you cannot imagine how in the msian loop i felt that day when i finally knew. :D
the other day my friend was telling me kalau susah sgt nak contact kak sam kat algeria, pakai la slow mail. i asked her, slow mail? pos surat laa... hahaha... what would we do without internet now...
TM, silat pun ada. Little syajie, my niece's son did it - but he went in and out of the screen. Pening tengok. Malangnya kompang tak ada and the camera /laptop could not be taken out of the house to where the guests were eating.
Yes, it was also sad. I wanted to be there so much.
Mekyam, now that you mentioned it, the tudung clashed hideously with the duvet cover! I should have thought abt finer details like that!.. Oh well, its done now. The baju kelawar was shades of the fading hues - if you know what i mean. I try not to wave my arms about, as you know what baju kelawar armholes are like. The kenduri would have been a havoc had guests seen such images of horror! Yap, beam me up, yummy.( I like that for mek yam - yummy!)
Yes, Alhamdulillah, Mak is fine though she was a bit confused as to whether she was coming or going or whether she was a guest or host of the kenduri. Bless her.
mas, slow mail does sound like a thing of the past. I have not written a letter for years, i mean write and post. Sekarang semuanya instant.
Hi Zah, weddings are always so lovely. The way u described your mak reminds me of mine too,(sobs) don't know whether to laugh or cry, cie la vie.
Cheers,
Tommy
P/S - Good thing about this skype thingy, the people at the other end don't need to know how u r dressed waist down or whether u got anything on for that matter :)))I wondered that for all the TV newsreaders too!
Tommy Yew, when my siblings relate to me abt my mak's latest antics i dont know whether to laugh or cry. I am sure we too will come to that stage, kan?
abt TV newsreaders, aa friend of mine who read news for rtm a long time ago, had so many fans - he also did football. one day, he was in a very crowded bus and was hanging on to dear life to the thingy up there as the busdriver was really going crazy, then he heard someone say: nampak dalam tv hemsem, di luar pendek!haha! and he also revealed that once he wore kain pelikat with a properly pressed shirt and tie, while reading news. There you are.
and when I used to read news for the BBC (radio world service- malay) i had to take off my shoes, my earings - that's as far as i go! heh!
Tahniah to both pengantin :D
zaman lani kan kak teh, kalau org bg excuse *tak boleh la, jauh* etc...mmg lah mengarut...semua guna skype je...even my husband read bedtime stories to the kids tru skype..:D
next time my cousin kawin, i nak attend tru skype jugak lah..buleh pakai baju kelawar...LOL u are so funny lah kak teh!
lyana, pk usop baca bedtime stories guna skype? a friend of mine lives in australia, and he too reads and plays with his grandchild via skype. Dunia sekarang!
K.Teh,
Cool. Sapa je yg boleh pegi kenduri kawin dgn berbaring atas tilam empuk & pakai baju kelawar...tapi tak dpt makan nasi minyak lah kan. Kesian.
Oh Kak Teh, yeah it's hard being away - no amount of technology can beat physical presence. But nothing in the world can beat being spiritually present.(hope the bazaar sale went well)
The kenduri was so nice and Samara and Aziz enjoyed themselves. I met all your cousins/ Aunties/ Uncles and more at the wedding. They all knew me but I didn't know most of them! They all send their salam and wanted to know why you weren't there. I told them I was sent there to represent the UK! :o)
We are now in Terrengganu with Ayah Ngah and Cik Ngah. It's so peaceful here (I think Az and Samara want to take early retirement and move here!). I know you're waiting for more photos so you can upload on your blog! I'll send some over soon.
P/S. I'll try and bring some sun through customs for you :op
Rehana x
3yearshousewife, tak dapat makan nai minyak tak apa asalkan tak dapat bau nasi minyak juga. betapa terseksanya kalau boleh bau nasi minyak tapi tak dapat makan!
Fiona, bazaar was good, totally enjoyed myself, tried not to spend too much and bought just enough to eat. met many interesting people. you should have come!
Rehana via Al manar, I am so glad that you, Az and samara represented us. I hope you also ate for al of us. I can feel the atmosphere...i know what it is like to have a gathering at home with my siblings - everyone just go crazy and silly, and that 's what made me sad that i missed it all.
never mind, have a good time with ayah ngah and cik ngah and enjoy trengganu.
Salam Kak Teh
Seronoknya! Wasn't it wonderful; you took a whole kenduri into your very own home! Of course , minus real people, real food and real everything. FYI, I'm a Bangian. You could have asked me to wakil makan nasi kenduri. I beieve you are aware that Amy will have his Konsert Satu Masa at Istana Budaya KL, 26-28 of this month. Ceria selalu!
temuk, you are a bangian? we must certainly meet up during our next trip back. insyaallah.
yes, the kenduri was broadast straight into our bedroom. i wld have been better if it was later in the day in london - boleh juga nak dress up for the occassion.
KT - so early in the morning (here) and oredi this makcik berair mata, sebak dada. the way you described the whole thing, specially about your mom so touched my heart.. will it be our fate also? hopefully just like your mom, we'll be cherished & surrounded by loved ones :)
Congratulations to the bride & groom.. semoga bahagia dunia akhirat :D
p.s. me osso have lots of emergency tudung jugak hehehe ;p
Zaharah,
Rehana told us the significance of today. Kak Mah and Abang Ngah wish you all the best, hari ini dan selama-lamanya.
It is ever so nice for the two lonely people like us to have part of you and Mi with us here even for a very limited time
Abang ngah and Kak Mah
justiffa, I think there's no way out unless we take a quick exit, if you know what I mean. Mak, bless her, is still okay for her age. She can be quite lucid.
Tudung emergency? hehe, i have a story to tell. One day, a plumber came to fix the boiler. He is quite religious by the look of it. My son let him in without telling me. I grabbed the nearest tudung emergency, and spoke to him about our ailing boiler. When he went back, i went to see myself in the mirror; the awning of the famous munawarah tudung was so out of shape, i look like someone with horns!
Abang Ngah, what a wonderful thing to say. I hope they were not too much of a problem for youa nd KAk Mah. I understand all of them want to take early retirement and go and live in Trengganu! hehe! Thank you for looking after them. Much love.
Dear Ah,
Been reading your blog for the past 2 days. To me you are always Ah anak Mak Yon. Way back in Yan we used to be friends. Like to meet Mak Yon again if possible, even if she does know me.
Salam, Yutt anak Pak Rashid.
yutt, i mmediately recognised your name even if you didnt pt anak PAk Rashid. Ishhhh dah berapa puluh tahun kita tak jumpa! Anak Pak Rashid dressar. I rememer your house just across from ours - depan orang i rumah Mak Limah Pak Piee, to the side,rumah Mak Siah Pak Mei. If you read further in my archives theres stories about Yan - about Ah Gek,and many more. It is really nice of you to be in touch again.
Mak mungkin tak ingat Yutt dah, but she is very much a PR peron - nanti dia kata, Laaaa, awat lama tak mai? Mak mana? Insyaalllah, nanti Ah balik kita jumpa. Please write tome via email zwan_uk@yahoo.co.uk
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