We celebrated Julia’s birthday earlier (it’s actually on the 5th), to coincide with the weekend. Time flies when you watch your kids grow up and before you know it, she’s four years old already.
"I am four years old."
We celebrate with everyone at dad’s place, with the usual feast by mom followed by the cake-cutting event.
With Darrell and Charlotte
Make a wish and blow the candles to make it come true.
With a little help from grandpa
Happy Birthday, Julia
Some of my readers have asked me where Putra Heights is, as I’ve been transferred to the Giant outlet there. A brief map might help to let you find your way there (I should know, I got lost a few times going there).
We took a trip back to Senawang to spend some time sprucing up the house, as well as have some family time together as a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Anyway, I gave the camera to Julia to let her take some pictures.
Hmm...
HMM...
Okay, I think I should be the one taking the pictures.
Seeing their happy faces just makes my day.
Well, it’s that time of the year again – Giant’s annual Sales Commitment Conference. This year’s conference was held at the same venue as last year, at Pulai Springs Resort in Johor.
Four days three nights of endless seminar-style listening to go with the endless rounds of eating, drinking and partying (I kid you not!). It’s the same pattern every year. Morning till afternoon will be in the hall listening to endless droning about meeting next year’s budget. Late afternoon will see everyone take part in sports and activities, followed quickly with other side activities and presentations to go with your dinner. Lastly, it’ll be drinks, drinks and more drinks to cap the night.
With Maria Leong and Lim Teow Leang
Alex Shim being squirted with vodka by the vodka girls
This year’s theme was related to F1, something about ‘racing ahead of the competition’. Look at my tag and you’ll know.
This annual energy-sapping conference is not exactly something that’s enjoyable but it’s also not something that’s dreaded. To get all the goodies, you’ll need to pay the price. Plenty of booze, added with lack of sleep and rest, is something that thankfully only happens once a year.
Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday to me…
Happy Birthday to me
Thank you, Julia.
Another year older, another year wiser hopefully.
We took a trip to Ulu Bendul Recreational Forest today with Christina’s relatives i.e. brothers, sister, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. We departed from the house at 9.15am and reached there around 10.00am, just nice to find a cool and relaxing spot.
The water was ice-cold, since it flowed down from the mountains above. The kids had a fun time swimming in the pool, while the adults were all busy eating and drinking all the food that was brought there.
Julia and Tze Wei enjoying some grub after a swim.
Jason and mommy having a go at the waters.
"I'm hungry. Where's my food?"
We left around 3.00pm and headed back home, where everyone just kinda napped because of tiredness. We left Jason back at the babysitter’s in the evening and had dinner before heading back to Klang. It was a slow drive back, as the highway was jammed with other commuters heading back too after a long weekend.
It’s Deepavali tomorrow, and it’s surely a long weekend for most folks. We took a trip back to Senawang to see Jason at the babysitter’s house, as well as do the periodic cleaning up of the house. The lawn grass is getting taller and the interior is dustier, so it’s time to get down to cleaning it up.
My little helper.
After the clean up, we spent some time to just relax and prepare whatever was needed for the trip to Ulu Bendul tomorrow.
Today was Giant Klang’s 6th Annual Dinner, which was held at the KLIA Pan Pacific Hotel. Themed “Traditional & Elegant”, it was the first time I attended Klang’s annual dinner do. I was seated at the VIP table as usual, just beside the VVIP table. Normally the table would be filled with other Division Heads and committee members but somehow, all of them were busy with the do. In the end, the table was filled by my team members from the office and Maintenance Dept.
My team, Sharifah and Angel.
Everyone had an enjoyable time, since it was basically a night to celebrate the contributions of all the staff. I left around 11.15 pm when the whole thing ended, didn’t want to hang around for the dancing session, in case the VVIPs decide to catch hold of me for a drinking session instead.
Today, my mother-in-law was finally laid to rest via cremation at the Fairy Park cemetery in Sendayan. There was a band to play some sombre music, which would also make it a grand sending-off for her. We were asked to have one final look and say our goodbyes before the coffin was really nailed shut for good.
As per Chinese custom, we looked away while they nailed the coffin shut and again, when they brought it out into the road for final rites. The hearse was estimated to leave at around 1.00 pm. Interestingly, only then did I know that all bereaved, relatives and friends would follow behind the hearse while the sons-in-law (and grandsons-in-law) would travel in front of the hearse.
If you note the tall red banner flag from the picture above, it actually has writings on it that glorifies the deceased and it is meant to represent the sons-in-law honouring their mother-in-law. Chinese customs deem a son-in-law as ‘fu-ma’ (emperor’s son-in-law) that have married the family princess, thus it is right for a ‘fu-ma’ to glorify the princess’ family.
I was asked to do the honour of carrying the banner flag for the family.
A short walking journey ensued from the house till the main road, before we all got into a bus to travel to Fairy Park. There, we witnessed the symbolic push-in of the coffin into the crematorium before we were asked to leave.
We rested at the waiting hall, where all the bereaved kin were asked to remove their mourning clothing to symbolically avoid bad luck associated with death. We then feasted on roast pig meat that was presented by the sons-in-law as a tribute to the deceased. We then left and got back to the house, where final rites were made to allow her tablet to be placed at the ancestral altar temporarily.
She had lived a long and fruitful life, surrounded by many relatives and friends. May she finally rest in peace.
