Elderly friends

Yesterday I made a point to visit Kak Ros,  my elderly friend in Kelana Jaya, to see how she is.  Actually, I like to visit old ladies, especially the ones that is still holding up splendidly at their age.  My charm seems to work better on them than on men.  I really enjoy amusing them and let them pour their woes on me.  I would listen and absorb like a sponge. Laugh at their opinions which others take as 'a nyanyok tendency', and in the end, I would fish for an advise, a tip, a secret that keeps them so 'well maintained' and feisty.

I lined up many minutes for the bubur lambok at the Masjid for I know Kak Ros will like it. A widow of many years, she lives with her son in front of a small masjid, the place we first met when she was a committee member than who handles the food section. She makes a mean nasi lemak.

She looks tired and frail, maybe because she is fasting. We talked and shared.  Kak Ros told me, her health  had been withering these days.  Had gone to the hospital and clinics, put on drips, given tablet under her tongue, x-tray, sleeping pills  so on so forth.  Then she was given the results.  STRESS. Nothing wrong with her.

So she told me, the cause of her stress is her son.  A stress she cannot separate, therefore not much medicine can do.  She told me, certain things you cannot run from, it is just for you to redha or accept with a open heart and ask Allah for help for He is the only One that can help us. Everyone has problems, she is syukur, grateful  she has her pension and a good roof on her head. She hopes she does not trouble her children at old age and will die without much trouble.

So moral of the story here, sons give mothers illness.  hehe

Last  few months I met Kak Habsah at an Ibu Tunggal event.  She came over to Adi's booth and gave us all a sample of her muruku.  I don't know what made me  chase her to get her number. I liked her muruku but there is more than that. A few days later I called her up and ordered 30 packets.  For what, I don't know. 

She too is elderly but does not look 75. She looks 60, widowed for many years. I got to her house and as soon as I switch to sponge mode, she started telling me that she is forgetting alot these days and it is worrying her.  She has a mentally handicap daughter , is taking care of her mentally handicap brother ,a sickly son and she feels she her health is deteriorating, showing me the bruises from needle pricks due to her blood tests.  Her daughter though handicaped,  can take care of herself, only very low in IQ. Kak Habsah makes nasi lemak for her the brother to sell in the mornings. Financially she is good, for she told me she had been penny-wise since young, saving while spending and investing wisely.  Her main worry is her daughter, what is to happen when she is gone. Kak Habsah so far has coped wonderfully, but age is wearing her down, nevertheless.

Moral of the story here, be smart with your money, for it can lessen our burdens in the future and to start exercising soonest. Learn how to make mean nasi lemak.