The One With The Count Down (part 1) 

"Berapa hari lagi nak raya??"

Well, I bet many of you guys can answer this question in a split second.. But for me, I'll take a longer time.. Not that eager for this year Hari Raya.. May be looking forward for the long holidays but not the raya day itself.. I got my reason.. hehe.. above all, as you guys already know, we are already freaking out right now.. counting the seconds to become young parents.. hehe.. It will also be the first hari raya for me being away from my hometown in Johor. Last year we celebrated our first raya as husband and wife at my hometown.. So this year around, we gonna be celebrating it here in KL.. and with Shariza condition, long distance travel is definitely a no-no.. *wink*..

I was thinking.. What would I miss..

Topping the list would be Mom's ketupat, rendang limpa, serunding daging, paru goreng and sayur lodeh.. a must menu for years.. where we will be having those for breakfast, lunch, tea, and dinner until 3rd or 4th day of raya.. While waiting for raya announcement from YM. Engku Datuk Ibrahim bin Engku Ngah, penyimpan mohor besar Raja-raja, all the siblings will "anyam ketupat" while mom in the kitchen doing her things.. This year, Shariza's mom will prepare Soto, aunty will serve her lontong.. others TBC.. yet again, visiting open houses will also depend on Sha's stamina.. heheh..

Secondly, no fireworks and meriam besi.. Back in my hometown, we have a large compound in front of our house.. shooting a Thunderclap or an Air-Bomb would still landed into your own compound.. Play it here.. it might landed into Balai Polis Taman Tun compound.. or worse, we ourselves could ended inside the police station.. hehe.. I dont wanna take that risk..

Lastly.. little kids.. in kampung, from as early as 8 o'clock in the morning, you will hear a typical sound of kids from god-knows-where giving salam.. "Assalamualaikum.. kami nak beraya.." They will come and sit down for couple of minutes.. eat one or two pieces of kuih raya, take a sip of carbonated drinks.. and go "Kami nak balik dah.." while anxiously wait for the Green packet.. hehe.. I also did the same when I was a little kid..

Well, Raya will still be Raya.. anywhere anyhow.. Just that, I'm reserving the thrills for a much bigger occasion.. :)