Time flies – July has come to an end – this also means it’s halfway through the fasting month – fasting month this year has been interesting thus far…. I miss fasting with my family around, I miss fasting with my sister around, not that we have big feasts at the break of fast everyday, but it has been almost 5 years of fasting in the company of my sister in Perth, a different atmosphere altogether. I miss that girl, i miss the babysister soooo much.
Well I guess that’s the price to pay when there’s the existence of that other half – the Mister…well, maybe not a price to pay, perhaps, just some changes to adapt to yet again. It has been a totally new experience altogether fasting in Toronto.
Firstly, it is the long hours – super long hours, it’s summer time so the sun rises early and sets really late and daylight stays for much longer, hence the longer fasting hours.
Secondly, keeping in touch with family over at 2 other locations while still embracing the Ramadhan atmosphere, makes it all a totally new experience. When it’s our turn to break fast in Toronto, the parents in Singapore and sister in Perth are just at the beginning of observing their fast for another day and vice versa.
Thirdly, not having that babysister for “munching” sessions after the breaking of fast and sometimes seeing that “stoink” face wake up so suddenly for the early morning meals just makes me go all emotional at the thought of how the babysister is doing it all on her own in Perth BUT she’s a tough cookie that one, she’ll be fine, she’s a babysister no more ..nevertheless, somehow, in my very eyes, “She’ll always be my baby…” Oh I miss my sister terribly..
Fourthly, having ONLY the Mister around at least till the last few days of this month is a blessing and a challenge, sweet sweet challenge… It’s like a race on some days trying to prepare meals for breaking fast and early morning meals all on my own. Looking at how he wakes up just in time to have his morning meals with his eyes still closed makes me laugh sometimes AND when he leaves everything on the table and crashes onto the sofa, IMMEDIATELY after he finishes his meal, can be annoying at times!
I’m like, “Excuse me…I could do with some help here maybe??????!!”
But it’s all worth it; the satisfying part of it all is when we get to perform the evening and early morning prayers together, almost every single day of fasting in Toronto – that’s priceless!
Finally, despite being in different continents, somehow, I find this Ramadhan has brought us all closer to each other as a family, with all the food challenges, how the sister thinks the father is somehow competing (when he’s actually not!) with her in preparing whatever she prepares in Perth, somewhat, coincidentally in Singapore! Oh by the way, the father has had to lend a helping hand in the kitchen due to Mommydearest’s wrist injury….Ramadhan 2012 has been a sweet, sweet challenge so far!
Meanwhile, some photos of our Ramadhan food galore, with love, from Toronto, Perth and Singapore!! Guess who created what????? Jeng jeng jenggggg…..
