The company...

Was with my family yesterday...My eldest darling cucu kept on repeating, 'Bestnya, ramai-ramai. Bestnya semua orang ada..'

It was a BBQ at my sister's. Celebrating the July-borns. I guess it would be great to celebrate each birthday on the birthdate but when there's too many of these birthdays in a month it made sense to have a big do. It was different when we were young. My brother and sisters were all born in the month of March but it was celebrated each individual respective day. There was no big parties, no cakes, no candles. My mother would cook what is our favourite food. I only remember that I like meehoon, so I would always get meehoon goreng on my birthday. Thinking back, it was just a meehoon but it meant so much to me. It was my special day! Everybody eat what I like, I feel special...

Do I still get meehoon on my birthday? Firstly, my mother is no longer with us... As time goes by,in my family, birthday parties are parties! There's food, lots of food; meehoon is too simple. We now serve mee tomato, laksa, mee sup, meehoon soto, spaghetti, macaroni. Then there's kueh karipap, all kinds of talam, cream puffs, tarts and tartlets. Sometimes, theres also pulut, putih with durian or kuning with rendang, mmm. Must have fruits, watermelon, bananas. Parties always finished off with birthday cakes, from simple from-the-bakery-round-the-corner, or home made choc cake to a doraemon, batman, or a train-shaped choc cake to a big 'choc indulgence' from secret recipe. The young ones will get presents, from books, to toys to branded shirts to bicycles. Its wonderful, happy happy expensive dos. No..there's no meehoon for my birthday..

Its different now, we celebrate our special day making people around us feel special. We celebrate our special day making time to be together. I guess I like BBQs because it takes a longer time to get the food ready. It will mean the time spent together is longer. There'll be more laughter, more jokes, more...just lots of fun.

It was great last night. I was happy everybody likes my brisket strip in a roll, sort of a subway. I enjoyed my pop corn. The sotong was sweet, the lamb chops were delicious, the chicken was succulent...I think,..its no longer about the food. Like my cucu said, bestnya ramai-ramai. Birthdays are the best excuse just to be together. It is sooo about the company..To me, that is special. We were born to be a part of a family. Thats what should be celebrated, the day to be a part of a family..My special day, your special day, our special day....That makes our birthdays the family's special day. Next time lets spent the whole special day together...(To get MJ memorial ticket was 0.4%)..

But, I still miss my mothers meehoon..