Highs and Lows...

One day of highs and lows... rushed down to Lubuk Merbau; this qualifies as a far flung place in this part of the country. The Thai border is just a couple of miles away. The road was undulating and winding, lonely at most of the stretches and flanked by rubber estates all the way. You get more cows as companions than people as you traverse through this part of interior Kedah. And here too, one has to look out for these bovines who wander onto the roads as though they own them. You might not survive a headlong crash with them. In our early days in Baling, we'd hear of headlong crashes between vehicles and cows. Very often the two-legged creature suffered more serious injuries.

Got there only to find out that our team had lost their first game. But hey! Felda Lubuk Merbau has a very nice futsal cum volleyball court. The court actually feels cushiony... 8) We had another game coming in the afternoon and we won! LOL! Apparently I was the pembawa semangat... not that I played very well. This time around, I only went for one practice due to the hectic schedule that I currently am in. However, during the game, in trying to save a ball, I sprained my hand... I've a blue back as a trophy on my palm now.... but it'll recover.

But winning isn't everything, though it adds to the fun. Half the fun is the discovery that you can still do those moves! ... jump, spike, deliver a whooper of a service, make a dramatic save..... At our age, many things are beginning to feel like bonus rounds. In recent weeks, I've been reminded that our lives can change overnight!

Got the opportunity to spend some time and see old friends. And with a long journey to and fro, there wasn't much else to do except talk. You're reminded of the ties shared. You share moments over food, frustrations and furores! 8) Everyone is too busy to spare moments these days... we're all too caught up with our own lives, problems, etc, etc... sometimes it's good to be reminded that the ties are still there....

While I was there, I received a SMS that a church member of ours is back home, end stage CA. After I got home, I got a call that some were going to visit him. So I went and sat there for a while. It's depressing to be reminded that this mortal body has to suffer as we approach the last leg of our journey. Life is like a brief candle... There've been more deaths of people I know in the past 6 months than I can remember; a constant reminder that the line I am in is getting shorter...

I wished I had taken my camera but in my rush from one end of the state to the other, I forgot many things. We used to drive along those stretches of road many years ago, Other Half and I. Been over 15 years and the rural setting is still as idyllic as it was. So there... one more for the memory album (minus the photos).

And the icing on the cake for the day... to have goodies sent over to the house. Home made beef stew with mashed potatoes and garlic bread. The sight of them is making my stomach growl even though dinner was just an hour ago... so I shall wait for my Other Half to dig in together.... our supper! In thanksgiving for friends who make our days cheerier!