5.9.2025 Friday - the Prophet's birthday

 

4.9.2025 Thursday - farewell and housing warming

Today is a watershed for me; I feel it when I potter around Sean's apartment as he gets ready for the arrival of his guests. This will be his home; I look around and see what he has done to the space, and what he needs to get to complete the job - larger pots for his plants in the balcony, pillows, and crockery. All in good time, I suppose - he will do it in his own time. I wonder if my father thought about these things when he visited us at Jalan Stampin all those years ago. A quiet assessment of  our achievements and mental notes about what to discuss with mom on the car ride home. 

Sean has combined Khaliq's (and the Taiwanese students) farewell, with his house warming. The food is home-cooked, the furniture is insufficient and the crockery non-existent. But what is present is the camaraderie amongst colleagues, an appreciation of what we are doing; taking an extra step, showing care like a parent, and the generosity of a family. 

A touching moment comes towards the end of the evening, as Khaliq prepares to leave - he went around thanking everyone in the way he was brought up - 'salam-ing' each of us; longer for his elders; Sam, myself, Fiona and Penghui. I hug him and Sam hug him - like parents sending a child off to university (which is what he is doing). There is a smattering of applause from the young ones, a few slaps on his back and he is gone.

3.9.2025 Wednesday - designing cloisters

 

2.9.2025 Tuesday - holiday over, back at work

 

Ankle getting worse, but I am hopefully and will cope by changing my exercise regime; I lift weight and work on my legs (calves esp) in the meantime. Such an irony - especially after buying so many pairs of new sports shoes. I want to glide across the courts again, and if I have to rest in order to do this - then this is the plan.