LEMON GRASS MAMA

AS SALAM MY MA- IN -LAW CAME 2 DAYS AGO TO  VISIT HER GRANDSON. SO, IT'S ONLY HER AND HIM DURING THE DAY WHEN ALL OF US ARE OUT WORKING. SO, MY DAUGHTER THOUGHT IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO BRING HER OUT WITH THE REST OF US FOR DINNER. WE WENT TO NICE RESTAURANT NOT FAR FROM HOME. SHE ORDERED AN XL MURTABAK, 3 VARIATIONS, RED BONE SOUP (SO I THOUGHT!) . I HAD BERIANI KAMBING (ON A LARGE PLATE, A HUGE SERVING), GRANNY HAD NASI GORENG DAGING MERAH, AND ZAZA ORDERED NASI GORENG KAMPUNG. IT DIDN'T TAKE US LONG TO FINISH ALMOST EVERYTHING(THERE ARE 11 OF US). SURPRISINGLY, MY SON AND HIS WIFE CAME ALONG TO JOIN US. THEY ARE BOTH WORKING, AT ODD HOURS AND IT IS ALMOST DIFFICULT TO HAVE THEM TAGGED ALONG TO ALL FAMILY OUTINGS! I GUESS GRANNY IS LUCKY THIS TIME....BUT 2 OF MY SONS ARE UNABLE TO JOIN AS THEY ARE STILL WORKING. ZAZA WITH GREAT GRANNY RED BONE SOUP ENJOYING IN STYLE WHAT IS LEFT!  

ALMOST DONE! MEE GORENG FRUITS ARE ALSO ON SALE CHOPPED CHICKEN AS SALAM AT TIMES WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH, YOU WISH YOU HAVE EVERYTHING AT THE CLICK OF A FINGER....AND IT IS AT THIS MOMENT YOU WISHED YOU HAD SAVED ENOUGH TO OPEN YOUR OWN FOOD BUSINESS OR WHATEVER...JUST SO YOU HAVE ENOUGH TO SPEND IN YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND PROVIDING YOU WITH THE NECESSITIES. BUT, DREAMING ISN'T JUST ENOUGH. SO, MY DAUGHTER AND I FINALLY STEP ON OUR PEDALS AND AFTER BRAINSTORMING EACH OTHER, WE DECIDED TO PURSUE OUR DREAMS TO START UP A FOOD STALL ON WEEKENDS. THE PLACE WE HAVE DECIDED IS QUITE A DISTANT BUT PROVE TO BE PRODUCTIVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. SO, WE STARTED LAST WEEKEND, JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER MY YOUNGEST SON WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL. AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THE HOUSE IN A CHAOS WHEN WE HAVE DONE OUR SHOPPING, PREPARATION FOR THE WEEKEND STALL. BUT WHEN YOU LOVE DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING, YOU FORGET THE TIME, THE ENERGY, THE DISTANT, THE HEAT.....ALL THESE IN THE NAME OF WANTI...

AS SALAM FOOD IS ALWAYS AN AGENDA FOR ME. BUT ON THE 1/3/11 IT IS FAR FROM MY MIND. MY YOUNGEST SON WAS ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR AN OPERATION. AND LIKE ANY MUM, THE WAITING IS AN AGONY....ONLY TOWARDS THE AFTERNOON DID I REALIZE I HAD ONLY PEANUTS FOR BREAKFAST AND STILL NOT HUNGRY OR THIRSTY. AFTER 4 HOURS, UNCLE CAME BRINGING FOOD AND DRINKS. I FORCED MYSELF TO EAT A FEW SPOONFULS OF FRIED BIHUN AND THAT'S ALL. IT WAS ALMOST 5PM AND FINALLY, WE ASKED ONE OF THE STAFF TO SEE IF MY SON IS ALREADY OUT OF THE OT. HE CAME BACK ALL SMILES AND BECKONING US TO FOLLOW HIM TO THE RECOVERY AREA TO WHERE MY SON WAS PLACED A FEW MINUTES AGO AFTER THE OPERATION. WORDS CAN NEVER DESCRIBED MY FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS THE MOMENT I SAW HIS SLEEPING FACE, STILL UNDER SEDATION AND NEEDLES ON HIS HANDS. A FEW HOURS BACK, HE WAS LAUGHING AND JOKING WITH THE NURSES AND DOCTORS, AND I JUST DON'T LIKE THE SILENCE NOW. BUTTERFLIES ARE EVERYWHERE IN MY STOMACH !! I WALKED BACK TO THE WAITING...