Aidilfitri 1431 Hijriyah

This year's Hari Raya is quite momentous to me. Why?

1. Spending first-day of Aidilfitri when all of my siblings are at my mother's house. Last year, my 2nd brother went back to his mother-in-law's kampung in Perak. A couple of years earlier my first brother have to attend a conference (or whatever) in Germany (Darn those multi-national companies!)

2. Datuk Sosilawati and her companions' murders. Apart from the usual road traffic accident deaths, this was the biggest news during the holidays. The status of the victim plus the really gruesome manner of their death and body (make that ash) disposal ensures media coverage - plus I acted as legal /CSI commentator to my family!

3. A slightly different dish for second Raya - laksa Johor. My mother suggested this perpetual favorite of my family although she left out daun kesum, sambal belacan and one or two other condiments as the majority of us didn't bother with them! My wife suggested that we cook nasi briyani for the next Raya.

4. After an absence of a number of years, my (previously) usual second-day tummy upset makes a return! Anyway, it's milder this time perhaps because my family did not mix all the ketupats and rendangs received from neighbours and relatives together plus I brought my leftover medications from my previous bout with it.

5. And finally, Alhamdulillah the roads were clear - no jams and in fact no accidents during my journey to and from Johor! I remember getting stuck on the Nilai-Seremban and Senawang-Pedas stretch of the highway....and no apparent reason for the jam was ever found!