First quarter of 2021.

Sun Mar 28, 2021.

Yesterday I joined Idah, Dekna & Wafa visiting Cik Ani in Taman Melawati, recovering from her horrific accident at home.

Sons No. 1,2 & 3 were supposed to join us for lunch there. Idah brought food from Seremban. Ibrahim & Tipah were supposed to join us, with  Hanif & the twins also. In the end only No. 2 Son & family made it. Work & traffic were cited as excuses. Wafa asked for Ali, but he wasn't coming.

On the way home late in the afternoon, Klemot called, and was updated on the Cik Ani situation. I called Ari. He was, as usual, at Shima's place. I told him, were he in Seremban, to pick up Klemot, because she said she'll pay for the petrol (though Ari claims he always pay for the petrol), but this is now academic.

The reversing car accident, and Cik Ani rolling away from the moving vehicle, could have ended much worse. We thank God for His Mercy. First, terrible as it still was, Cik Ani broke her upper left thigh, not the pelvic area. Second, Hafiz's surgeon gave information about the HKL orthopedic head.  Third, he happened to be the son of Cik Piei's police friend. And, most importantly, fourth, the good doctor remembered. So instead of the 3-week wait as informed by the hospital initially,  the major operation was carried out within 2 days of the accident. A delayed operation could have spelled medical  repercussions too terrible to ponder here. Dr. Amin hasn't returned Ari's call, the first thing he did when the news of the accident came.

As it is, Cik Ani looks well, reclining in the borrowed bed (thanks to Ari's Aminuddin Baki's Association). Tipah's better hospital bed had also been arranged, but Ari's came first, and serves the purpose. We reminded her not to forget the medication, and to move her resting position often, to avoid the deadly bed sores affecting bedridden patients. I cited friends' experiences and the Superman Reeves' case after he broke his neck from a horse ride.

Acad has managed to get into SEDAR next month, into Form 4. He joins younger brother Ameng, already there for Form 1. I told Ameng to get his friends and rag Acad, now a new member of the school.

Awe Donde also is joined by sister Cik Mek Tok Brek at the aviation academy. But I said to Awe, large airlines are folding up, so how's employment outlook for Air Asia? My golfing buddies also have family members who were senior pilots, now selling goreng pisang (or something in that line).

The Covid update says up to Friday the cases total 124.7 million worldwide, with 2.7 million deaths. The US leads with more than 30 million cases and more than 550,000 deaths. Malaysia records 336,808 cases and 1,246 deaths. But the figures for India and China, as I have said many times before, court deeper study. Combined, these 2 heaviest populated countries of more than 2.6 billion show a total of less than 13 million cases and less than 200,000 deaths. I have been to USA and India, but not China. I can assure you that the bad street scenes I saw in India cannot support the figures shown.

For late tea, and because Wafa was asking for food, Dekna decided to try Chef Wan's place in the mall opposite Tabung Haji on Jalan Tun Razak. We had 2 mee rebus, 1 laksa Johor, 1 udang goreng, 3 drinks including my esspresso in the thumbnail cup for 160. That worked out to RM 54 each. The consolation was the servings were "L" and not the usual "S". My daily "duit pasar" is RM 30. For the whole family.

I managed to retrieve my pressure cleaner from Calit that promptly went  kaput  the first time I used it to clean the scum from the kitchen drain. So now it's back with him, to try to repair it, or get it traded-in at the power tools shop we visited. Incidently, the last time we were there I managed to get my second  power drill in 2 months, by virtue of being sold on that Daewoo 820 W vs the first HYCO 500 W. Calit's already asking for it. I may have to take out a few of the smaller bits the Daewoo doesn't have. Now I'm waiting for the power stapler/nail gun the Chinaman promised in 10 days' time.

The golf's ok, though the walk is more strenous. But the low 80's are manageable without too much concentration. As I said to Cik Piei and Cik Ani during the visit, I just don't forget my pills, my supplements and my daily 9 holes, and my bi-annual medical ( the next one scheduled for September) should be ok.

No. 2 Son also informed about his progress at work. For his presentations, I just said keep a good script and make your point in the first sentence. Read your text, but look up occasionally for that important eye contact. And gestures help. Speak into the mike, and pronouce fully. The dua's ok - begin and end with salutations for the Prophet saw.

That's it for the first quarter, 2021.

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