Yesterday, August 9, 2025 was a totally blessed day crammed with religious significance. This morning awoke with a plan. I would eloquently ‘tell all’. However, various events this morning resulted in a change of heart (not mind, see yesterday’s blog).
The day began in its usual and customary fashion. Rathe miraculously I awoke just prior to my iPhone announcing it was time for Fajr prayer. Wakening naturally in Paradise was such a blessing. Went to my outside patio, glanced in the direction of the Kaaba to see the full moon. Such an amazing sight, took a photo. Seconds later offered my prayers, made coffee, went to another part of the spacious patio to face the direction of the sunrise, sit in my Kashmir chair and marvel at my blessed existence by the sea. Took another photo at the break of dawn.
The first photograph, of the Floating Mosque and the moon was captioned:
“Fajr prayer time this morning. Taken in the direction the Kaaba. Look to the left at the full moon.
Later sent the sunrise photo, with this caption:
“This the time of the sunrise the August 9, 2025 morning. The moon in the prior photo is on the right, not the left. I do not know right from left.”
Alice was the first to respond.
She: Both are beautiful views, make me feel cheerful. Good morning, Alexis, Have a great day.
Me: You have a great day, Your message brightened my day.
She: You made my day.!!!
Me: You made mine!! And it is only 8:10. Hahaha. Once nine people in one day told me that I made their day. It was a record!!! Maybe I will surpass it today. I am starting early. Hahaha 😂
She: 👍
(Alice, a very dear friend, met in Penang about six months ago. She was working in a Japanese Restaurant, frequented by Mohan and myself. Her name has enormous significance. I SO loved my precious Aunt Alice, who died in 1985, I still miss her desperately. When she died I could not imagine life without her. That is one reason my Malaysian Alice is so precious.)
My first “You made my day” under my belt, I then set out to collect “you made my days”, in a not exactly subtle fashion. Reliable Artificial Intelligence is now going to tell you about the expression.
‘You made my day” means someone did something that made you very happy or brought you a lot of joy, effectively improving your overall mood and outlook for the day. It’s an expression of gratitude for a positive action or kind words.’ Synonyms: Other ways to express a similar sentiment include “You’ve lifted my spirits” or “You’ve brightened my day
There is an Hadith reliably informing all that bringing a sense of inner joy to a fellow Muslim will make Allah happy. So not only am I making my Muslim friends happy, I am, then and therefore, making Allah (SWT) happy. Should you wish authority for this please go to:https://www.youtube.com · Islam The Ultimate Peace
Please see how seamlessly I transitioned to YouTube. Hahaha I announced in the past that I had hired Nesh to refigure my YouTube channel because it was an utter and complete mess. After some problems, which he manfully solved, it is up and running. Therefore, I can start using my YouTube channel to ‘enhance’ this blog, conveying greater meaning and, at times, greater humor.
This morning Nesh not only told me that I made his day but also said he has made available to the world, a reel I had just sent. There does need to be a back story to this reel which will make you enjoy it even more when you see it. Last week Shamir and I went to the Penang Urban Design in Gurney Plaza for a lesson. This was discussed in a prior blog and a prior blog breakdown. While there decided to rehearse, do a ‘practice run’. Pretend that we were at Mojo Jojo’s eating oysters and having a conversation. We were not at Mojo Jojo at the time so the video does require some introduction, in that regard. But here is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about what had happened to bring about this reel rehearsal. For some reason, without even asking me, Shamir asked Artificial Intelligence this question:
He: What was Alexis McBride, the lawyer famous for? Which case brought her renown? The answer? I was famous for down an oyster farm. Shamir find this hilariously funny, teasing me all the time about it. I threaten him – saying I will will take him to West Marin to see what is going on there these days. Waiting for that day and perhaps instead, we just decided to put something on YouTube. Therefore the rehearsal, pre oyster reel. But no sense doing it all again, the oysters are dead. I will include a photo of them, although those guys came from Australia not Tomales Bay. Please use your imagination.
WhatsApp just notified me. I just got a ‘gift’ from Mohan (of all people). He sent me Carole King’s You’ve Got a Friend.
I absolutely love, the song, and her rendition. I do what I ALWAYS do, substitute Allah (SWT) for the romantic interest. A believer knows that Allah will be there, will be your friend if you just call on Him.
Ponder these words from the song.
“Ain’t it good to know that you’ve got a friend
When people can be so cold
They’ll hurt you, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them, oh yeah, don’t you let ’em now.”
We all do know that people can hurt you, desert you and take your soul if you let them. But I do not let them – Allah (SWT) protects me.
here is the ultimate irony. Mohan sent me the song, he is not a Believer (neither is his son Shamir, They are both Malaysian Constitution 160 (2) Muslims; legal, not spiritual. Upcoming blogs will discuss the ‘cure’ for this lack of belief of spirituality. It shall be explored in touching and humorous way, I hope. We ill have the assistance of my new and revised YouTube.
The day is passing me by. It is now lunch time. I am planning to consume a dish enjoyed by my family of origin over the years. Warning: my maternal family, the Piriies were not known for their culinary masterpieces.
The Pirie family were proud of their signature dish. What was it? Peanut butter and dill pickle sandwiches. Whilst shopping at Sam’s Penang the other day I spied dill pickles. I already had crunchy peanut butter and bread. I was prepared. Penang is known the world over for their food, both street food and other gourmet delights. But this reminded me of home. I munched on my sandwich with great delight. In my enthusiasm I did forget to take a photograph. Sorry.
While writing this I am also texting Shamir.
Me: I am texting you and Daniel and Nesh AND writing the blog at the same time.
He: Jack of all trades.
Me: Master of none.
He: Smarter than a computer.
Me: How in the world do you know all of these sayings?? You must be a genius. M
He: It must be you know who.
Me: You must have a very smart motif (mother).
He: That is the only explanation.
Last evening I was sleeping about midnight I suddenly got a WhatsApp notification. It was Shamir.
He: Blog is posted!
Me: Wow I am impressed.
He: You are awake? Burning the midnight oil?
Me: For some reason I am temporarily awake. But it is the opposite. Not burning oil but eating ice cream. Hahaha I wonder where that saying came from. I will look up. You know the strangest of sayings.
He: You too.
(If someone is burning the midnight oil, they are staying up very late in order to study or do some other work. It is an antiquated idiom. It would still be a habit and some of the old idioms in use today would still be in place although they’re likely to be replaced by more relevant versions. Burn the midnight oil’ still said because we still are staying up past sundown and utilizing an artificial means of light.).
I was sending Shamir photos for the blog. The one of me in front of the Center for Lost Children.
He: Did you find me there?
Me: It took me a long time to understand what you were saying. Then sent a laughing voice mail. How funny!! What a good place to find you dear! What a place for our reunion! The Center for Lost Children at the Prophet’s Mosque.
However, that was two years ago – did not meet Shamir until January 5, 2025. Not sure what must have happened in between. Hahaha
Photos of the full moon over the Floating Mosque; the sunrise photo; the oysters.
