Happy Mothers' Day

I drove home yesterday evening with my wife and my youngest brother. The traffic was ok, but there was a little jam at Seremban, as usual.

I used to do this ever since I started working in KL, about 8 years ago. Every now and then, I'd take the effort to go home, especially on long weekends. Everytime I got home, my mom would be the first to greet me. After all, she's a housewife and she's the one taking care of the house. I'd then make arrangements with my friends on where to go after dinner. I was never at home at night.

It took me a few years until I realise what I had been doing is not right. I knew my 'home' has become just a 'hotel' for me to put up for the night. Slowly, I started spending more time at home on Saturday nights to chit-chat my parents, waking up early on Sundays to have breakfast with them, and then do some shopping in the afternoon, before departing back to KL.

As I was driving back yesterday, I thought of my late mother. How I wish when I reach home, she would greet me with a smile, and there would be her home cook food waiting at the table. No! She's not here anymore. There won't be any food at the table. Things has changed....

Despite all that has happened, I still tell myself to go back whenever I have time, or if there isn't any time, make some time! After all, my dad is still in Melaka. Without my mom's presence, he's more lonely than ever. I'd take the extra effort to go home, every month, even for 2 days 1 night. It does make a big difference. I'm thinking, when I'm old, I too will wish that my kids will be able to come home as often as possible.

Well, as all of us know, today is Mother's Day. As soon as we got up, we headed to the Jelutong Columborium. We did some prayers, and then visited some relatives. Later, we did some shopping at Tesco. I knew my dad hasn't had any home cook food lately, so, I decided to cook some soup and homely dishes for him. It was a nice feeling to have dinner at home with my family, altho not all of my brothers were back.

We didn't have any chance to celebrate Mother's Day with mom this year, but here are some pictures that we took on holidays with her. I can still remember her ever ready smile when we say 'cheese...'. I really wish I had taken her to more places, especially China before she left us. But there's nothing more we could do now. All we can do now is to take better care of my dad...

October 2006 - Cameron Highlands

March 2007 - Chiangmai, Thailand

October 2007 - My Wedding (Kampar)

October 2007 - My Wedding (Melaka)

The photos taken during my wedding were the few last photos she took. She wasn't healthy before the wedding. However, she told us not to worry, as she promise us she'll make sure she managed to drink our wedding tea. She did. But we did not expect everything to come so sudden. She felt dizzy in the evening, and had a minor stroke after that. I should have sent her to the hospital immediately, but I did not!!!! It was when the whole wedding reception was over, only then I sent her to the hospital. By then, everything was too late. I should have taken the immediate action to admit her, but I did not!!!! I knew during my younger days, whenever I fell sick, my mom would immediately send me to the doctor, but this time, I did not take the initiative to do the necessary. Until now, I still regret for not doing so. My advice to all readers: early detection and action could save the life of a stroke patient.

Nevertheless, I will keep my promise to my mom to take care of my dad and my brothers. This is the least that I can do now.....

To anyone reading this...remember, we only have one mother and one father. Appreciate them before it's too late. Spend more time with them now, or else when they are gone, there's nothing you can do to bring them back.

I really want to say 'Thank you' to my mom for everything she has done for us....Selflessly, she did so much for us and never complained. She's the best mom in the whole wide world.

To all happy mothers, Happy Mothers' Day....

To all unhappy mothers, it's just another day....

Funny Clip

Super-Sub

I started watching football in the early 90's. I came to know a few football terms like 'hattrick', 'bicycle kick', 'through ball', 'dummy' and many more, but the most significant for me now is 'super-sub'.

Those days, Man Utd will rely on Olle Gunnar Solskjaer to get the important goal in the last minutes of the game, and without fail, he always got it by hook or by crook. He can never play in the starting line up, because he can never deliver as a first 11. He's always known as the super-sub for Man Utd.

Last week and yesterday, I witnessed 2 super-subs for Liverpool in the Champions League semi final. In the first game at Anfield, John Arne Riise was brought in after Fabio Aurelio got injured. It was 1-1 at 90 minutes, but the 4th official called for 4 minutes of injury time. In the 5th minute, Salomon Kalou crossed a ball into the Liverpool penalty box and Riise mistakenly headed it into his own net. Well, the question here is how come the Referee did not blow the whistle at the end of the 4th minute, and amazing enough, why Riise used his head instead of a clearance with his foot? This reminds me of my schooling days, where my 5th former team lost to our opponents 7-1. In this game, our hero scored 2 own goals, one with his foot and another with his head, quite similar to Riise's goal.

Yesterday, everything was well until the 22nd minute. Martin Skrtel got injured and replaced by Sami Hyypia. Chelsea's first goal came in the 33rd minute through the 'bullish' Didier Drogba. Fernando Torres managed to score one goal in the 64th minute, making Liverpool's dream alive. The score was tied at 1-1. Then came extra time. However, few minutes later our 'super-sub' Hyypia made a wrong tackle and felled Ballack in the penalty box. It was a penalty!!! Frank Lampard converted the penalty easily, a tribute to his mom who passed away last week. At the same time, the magnificient Torres was replaced by Ryan Babel, giving me no hope that Liverpool will advance to Moscow. True enough, Drogba score another goal in the 105th minute. Ryan Babel surprisingly shot from ourside the D, and managed to pull one back, but all is over when the referee blew the final whistle. It ended 3-2.

Chelsea advances to their first ever final of Champions League, a feat they never achieve under Jose Mourinho. I'm not saying Avram Grant is good, but the result speaks for itself. They have 81 points in the English Premier League, with 2 games to play, same as Man Utd but trailling due to goal difference. They have been very consistent of late. No doubt about it, but in the final, my money is on Man Utd. Go go Devils.....

As dissapointing as I may be, I'm still thinking with my rational head. What has Liverpool achieved since their last League victory in 1990. Other than their Champions League success in Istanbul in 2005, they have never justified the amounts of money they spent on players and managers. The fans are starting to get fed up, and the new generations no longer support the Kop. I asked some teenagers lately, they told me they support Man Utd and Chelsea. What happened to the glory of the 80's? Someone please do something!!!! We have a good captain in Stevie G, (only) a good stiker in El Nino, a few dependable midfieldiers in Xabi Alonso, Xavier Mascherano and Ryan Babel, (only) 2 good central defender in Jamie Carragher and Martil Skrtel and a good goalie in Pepe Reina. I'd throw the rest into the transfer list. But I bet no teams will bid for them. That's the situation the Kop are facing now. Let's just face it, fighting for 4th place in the League every season is not what we want. Imagine slogging it out against Everton, Aston Villa, Man City in the winter? WTF??? Altho they managed to secure 4th place, it's not enough. Their game is like a women's mood. Sometimes they win, sometimes they loose, even to much lousier teams.

What can be done? Change the owners, change the manager, change half of the players. Who can do that? I don't know...DIC, maybe?