We thank all our family and friends for being with us during 2023. We are grateful.
We wish you all, only the very best for 2024.
#love
THE ATKINSONS’ CHRISTMAS’ GATHERING THAT WAS
Not too long ago, more like a month or so; we i.e. Jeannie and I started with Christmas preparations. It was more Jeannie than me.
For starters, she put up Christmas trees, yes…plural in “tree”. Not one tree, not two trees, but three trees. There were decorations in various parts of the house that was put up earlier on.
Laura, her boyfriend, Praga; Jeannie and I had a nice pre-Christmas dinner at Chili’s. The food was good – we enjoyed it. I had a Margarita for the evening. It was kinda of o.k., could have been better. It was a good evening.
The next evening, we. meaning Laura, Praga, Jeannie and I; were at St Thomas More Church, Subang Jaya, for mass. We made sure we were early, especially to avoid a possible downpour of rain (it has been raining almost everyday. Reverend Father Simon La Brooy presided at mass. The time at church was wonderful.
One of the traditional events that we are involved in and participate is the gathering of siblings and their families at mum’s and dad’s home in Klang for dinner on Christmas evening. I think we have been doing this for as long as I can remember.
Shirley, Sarah and her boyfriend, King; were the first to arrive. We (Laura & Praga, Jeannie and myself) were the next to be at the scene. A few minutes later, everyone else started arriving.
There was a wide spread of food, including lamb and shepherd’s pie. We also had Christmas fruitcake flown in all the way from Canada, courtesy of Ray and Susan.
Front row, right to left: Praga (Laura’s boyfriend), Laura (Jeannie’s and my daughter), Jeannie, Shirley, myself.
Middle row, seated; right to left: Susan (Raymond Arnold’s wife), Uma (Malcolm’s wife), Dad, Mum, Mabel (Terence’s wife), Sarah (Shirley’s daughter).
Third row, standing; right to left: Raymond Arnold (Behind Susan), Jay (Ashley’s husband), Ashley & Alana (both are Terence’s and Mabel’s daughters), Terence, Malcolm and King.
The youngest and the eldest of brothers.
The Three brothers👆
Christmas won’t be Christmas at the Atkinsons if there was no caroling. Malcolm and Jay took the lead. Everyone whipped out their phone song sheets. How convenient. No real flipping of paper pages unless you add the soundlike flipping of pages sound to your whatsapp thread when you search for song lyrics.
There was a mix of Christmas carols and non-Christmas carols – favourites.
Christmas seemed a bit different this time round. It seemed brighter, with lots more laughter and joy. Yes, we are all slightly older this time round, probably wiser, too. Christmas with family is an integral part of our lives, I guess. We remember Jen and Nigel, who were with us in spirit; too.
Christmas with family…
A GIFT AND AN EXCHANGE
What is the difference between a “gift” and an “exchange”?
A “gift” is when you do everything with a good heart and expect nothing in return. You will never be disappointed.
An “exchange” is when you do things, even with the best of intentions and expect something in return.
Which do you think is better?
~ ALAN IAN ATKINSON
Writer, Author, Storyteller
ENERGIES ARE CONTAGIOUS
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH FIVE TYPES OF PEOPLE:
THE OPEN-MINDED,
THE INSPIRED,
THE MOTIVATED,
THE PASSIONATE,
THE GRATEFUL
THEY WILL REFLECT WHO YOU WANT TO BE AND HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL.
ENERGIES ARE CONTAGIOUS.
THEY WILL MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
~ ALAN IAN ATKINSON
Writer, Author, Storyteller
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
When people speak negatively of you or doubt you, you’ve got two choices…
Prove them right
or
prove them wrong.
Be proud of who you are. You are who you are. Don’t be ashamed of how someone else sees you.
~ ALAN IAN ATKINSON
Writer, Author, Storyteller
OTHERS THINK
It’s not who you are that holds you back. It is who you think others think you are, that does.
The greatest prison people live in, is the fear of what others think.
~ ALAN IAN ATKINSON
Writer, Author, Storyteller
YOU JUST KEEP ON SHINING
Let people judge you.
You can try to stop some of them, but you can’t stop all of them.
The world’s population is 8 billion.
Let them misunderstand you. Let them even gossip about you.
What they think of you isn’t your problem. In fact it should not be your business.
Their opinions do not pay your bills.
Always stay kind and committed to love.
No matter what they do or say…never doubt your worth or the beauty of your worth.
You just keep on shining.
~ ALAN IAN ATKINSON
Writer, Author, Storyteller
YOU’RE A SURVIVOR
Trust yourself. You’ve survived a lot.
There is nothing more beautiful than when you prove just how strong you are.
THE SHIFT INSIDE SHIFTS THE OUTSIDE.
…and you’ll survive whatever is coming.
~ ALAN IAN ATKINSON
Writer, Author, Storyteller
WHAT A DAY! THANK YOU
It was a lovely start to my 64th birthday, going on 65. Lots of “thank you(s)” are in order. Thank you all for sharing the beautiful music of LIFE, which God has blessed us with.
My wife, Jeannie and Laura; have always been my greatest support. Laura’s video call and message from the U.S. made it all the more special.
My dad and mum called. Uncle Gerald, mum’s brother; called too. At 87; ne never fails to call every year.
There were hundreds of messages from the many social media platforms: my siblings and their families; Uncle Ronnie & Aunty Maryjane, Aunty Yvonne and Aunty Val; both from Perth, Australia, all my cousins and friends from all parts of the world.
It did not stop at the end of yesterday. I had more wonderful messages come in today. I had a nice message chat with Judith Wong, my neighbour from the next street. We talked about making a difference and impact on peoples’ lives. She is a great encouragement towards my writings.
Then, there was Gordon Fernando – a fellow CHOICE (a Catholic programme for single adults. I am from the CHOICE 7 group of 1982). We are on a CHOICE Whatsapp group chat. He refreshed my memory that we met once or more before, near a friend – Maryann Sharma’s house in Malacca. I visited Maryann at her family home in Malacca several times in the mid-1980s. Gordon has been based in the U.S. for 20 years. He is in the aviation industry.
Our close friend, Richard Kok; came over to our house in mid-afternoon. He brought a lovely, delicious cake that his daughter, Maryann Kok; sent to me. Maryann was a highly medal and record decorated state swimmer, representing the state of Selangor. She was senior to Laura in the team by a few years. Thanks, Maryann. It was a wonderful surprise.
A couple of hours though my conversation with Richard and we were playing tag-team for dozing off, The afternoon was very hot. Though the aircon was on full blast; it didn’t stop us from nodding our heads and dozing off. I did my 10km walk just before Richard came. Do you think it is a good excuse for me?😁😉😂😅💤
I met Nash from 4C, on my walk; who stopped his car just to wish me. We had a couple of laughs. Messages continued coming in from Jane, Iqbal, Herman Danker, Nara, Nic, Daniel, Gina, Tony Albert, Soh Chin Teck from La Salle 1975, Klang, Angeline, Mel (Austalia) and Cecilia. I also want to give a shout out to Charles Rozario who tried calling me during the frenzy of all the messages that were coming in.
The celebrations continue tomorrow. I will be meeting with a dear friend, also from CHOICE – Sharon; whom I have not met for many, many years. Sharon flew in from Europe a few days ago.
A special “Thank You” to Liz, my Tudor neighbour of 4D. She has inspired me to see and live life with even greater fervor. My thoughts and prayers are with her always.
Thank you all, once again for giving me a wonderful start to this 65th year.
BUTTERCAKE BAKER
It has been quite an eventful last 4 weeks in the Klang → Subang Jaya, Klang → Shah Alam and Klang → Petaling Jaya routes and back. Klang is where Dad and mum live; Subang Jaya is where Malcolm & Uma and Jeannie & I live; Shah Alam is where Malcolm & Uma live and Petaling Jaya is Klang to UMMC hospital.
The best baker of buttercakes, my mum – Philomena Atkinson; was at her usual at age 84 just about to turn 85.
It was one evening, somewhere in the first week of June, I get a call from mum. Oh, by the way, “best baker of buttercakes” has been bestowed upon her by the many. many, many people who have tasted her buttercakes and want more. Everyone keeps pestering her for her secret ingredient. Her “secret” ingredient is an open secret. Why? Because even if you know it, it would be impossible to duplicate. You may come close, but exacting it is not possible. This “secret” ingredient is called “love“.
You will agree with me that it is impossible to duplicate, just like a fingerprint. It belongs to that person. It is also just like colours.
Here, just when you thought the spectrum of colours had 8 – 12 (these were the standard colours in the box of colour pencils we used to take to school)…. The range started growing until smartphones were touting 16 million colours. Then, the “in-thing” phrase “A.I.” or artificial intelligence (don’t know what the big fuss is all about when politicians have been around for the longest time) has become a new buzzword which in turn has created a palette of 1 ber ber billion, yes billion; colours. So, the standard set of 8 -12 colours are now recognized in the different shades, most of which we think we don’t see; they are there. It is just that we don’t recognize them or take it for granted.
Back to mum’s secret ingredient in her buttercakes. It was that one evening…I get a call from her saying that she had a fall. I had just picked Jeannie up from work and was about to head home. She said that she was carrying a freshly baked cake out of the oven when she lost her balance and fell. I think at that time, dad was out on one of his errands. At 90, that man sure has a swagger.
Jeannie and I went straight up (or down?) to Klang from P.J.. We reached mum within 45 minutes. Dad was already at home by then. Mum complained about a bad pain in her leg. She was advised by a couple of friends to go for an x-ray at a nearby clinic.. She was hesitant and not quite up to going right there and then.
I called a buddy – childhood friend and classmate, Dr Michael Lee Pillai, up for advice on getting x-rays done. He advised that it was better for mum to get an MRI done at the hospital nearby so that a specialist could assess the issue mum had.
We took mum the next morning to have this done. Results showed no fractures or broken bones.
We celebrated her birthday over the weekend and on June 14th, mum’s actual birthday; Jeannie and I visited them. A few minutes after we left them; dad calls to say mum had another fall. We turned back and headed back to their house. We were less than 10 minutes away at that time.
She was climbing the stairs, with the aide of the prong walking stick; to go to her bedroom. Just after the first step, she fell backwards. We believed what could have happened was that the prong walking stick was not placed firmly on the step, which may have caused her to lose her balance. With a slight bump on the back of her head, she seemed ok. But, she did complain of a pain in her hip joint.
We, again took her for another MRI which showed no fractures or broken bones. She decided to take a break from her cake making and focus on her physical recovery.
A few days ago, dad called to say that mum was back at baking, but taking it at an easy pace. Many people who love her buttercakes expressed a great relief to hear that they can get her buttercakes again. Most common statement from them, “There is no others like your mother’s buttercakes”. Pictures of some of the buttercakes she has made are shown here.
Mum is also well known for her suggee cakes and fruit cakes. She would start preparing for the fruitcakes between 3 to 6 months. This story is for another time.😘
So, yeah! The best of buttercake baker is back!
NOTES: Klang, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam and Petaling Jaya are cities in the state of Selangor, Malaysia.