The 4th Raya prayers at home.

 24.7.2021.

This posting is one for the record, because I'm not exactly inspired to write anything right now. But too much has happened in the last 2 months of June and July, 2021 not to say something.

The overwhelming situation has been the effect of the pandemic that "officially" started in February 2020. The movement restriction order has meant that life as we know it has been completely changed. The shops and government offices, the sports centres and facilities and public services have been largely closed, denying the basic needs all of us face. 

The vaccination programmes have been implemented rather well, actually, regardless of the confusing propaganda, real or otherwise. Idah and I, and the four kids have all gone through the vaccination thing, at least the first phase of it. There were the reported fevers etc. but everybody seemed to have overcome these.

Unfortunately for the last 22 days I've been suffering the effects of the "chikugunya" fever. For the first 10 days I didn't even know it was chikugunya until I went to see Dr. Miszua. I've since finished the tablets he gave for my temperature and body aches. For the last 3 days Idah suggested I take effervescent vitamin C tablets and panadol, instead of going back to Dr. Miszua for the continuing body aches, and surprisingly that seems to work. But overall it has been a miserable 3 weeks of July. And incidently, 20 people in this housing estate got chikugunya. So 3 days ago MBS sent their fogging team, after one of us called them about our predicament.

So that went for the Raya Haji this year, too. The 3 children and families could come back, of course. The 2nd Raya Haji prayers were at home, making it the 4th Raya prayers like that since Raya Puasa 2020. But this time there were no more tears to shed. The Raya prayers were just something we had to do.

There was one small religious act I did I might not have done without all these sufferings, maybe. For the first time in my life I fasted on the day of the "wuquf" - "puasa sunat wuquf" on 19th July, which was the 9th of Zulhijjah, the day all pilgrims for the haj must assemble in Arafah, before proceeding to Muzdalifah and the to Mina to complete the haj. Without the stay in Arafah, there's no haj.

I said "small" act because it's only "puasa sunat". In fact it's a much desired act for the pious.

The big irritations have been the office closures. There were insurance policies to renew, road taxes to renew, and other services to pay, but many couldn't be done. They're all still hanging in the air.

The other distress has been the uncontrolled, ridiculous prices charged by the stall operators. I'd felt sorry for them because of the closures. But the prices they charge are too much. Lemang used to cost 9-10 per bamboo, and the rendang about 3-4. Beef used to be 20 per kilo. I had to pay 18 for the lemang, 7 for rendang and 35 per kilo for "soup tulang".  Petai went for 1.20 per fruit. Now I don't feel sorry for these operators any more.

The Olympics have started in Tokyo, after the on and off statements from all quarters, whether connected to it or not. With the lingering aches in my muscles, and the pain in my heart, maybe these games that I love to watch would bring some relief.

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