Sunday, June 10, 2007

Another Waypoint

I am 60 today but I dont quite feel 60. With the law of averages or whatever and God willing, I reckon I probably and hopefully will have a couple of more decades to go before I reach my final port of call. So while the PM and his new bride celebrated their wedding with a low-key dinner in Putrajaya last night, my family and I had our own quiet family affair at the Telawi Street Bistro in Bangsar. We dined on 'fusion' food: wild mushrooms, goat cheese, tapas, fresh halibut and sea bass with pasta and what have you. There was even a wickedly sinful 'volcano' birthday cake combo with stracciatella ice cream dripping with chocolate lava and the solitary lighted candle for this budding sexagenarian.


Nuraisyah and Dad at 60

We seamen have never been much for celebrating any occasion big or small, especially while at sea. I remember when my eldest boy Imran was born more than thirty years ago, I was away aboard an eastward bound vessel in heavy seas, weathering gale force winds off the Cape of Good Hope. The Suez Canal was still closed to shipping then. There was of course the usual congratulatory back slapping and the obligatory after-dinner cigars and port on the violently rolling and pitching ship. But after all that, it was back to the grind for everybody.

The occasion was after all, like today, just another waypoint in life's journey, and life, as they say, must go on.

17 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday Captain!

    You don't feel sixty? You are as old as you feel Captain.. Congrats on having come this far.. please continue to share with us stories, musings, ramblings, admonishements heh-heh...

    Like you, my first-born also came into the world without their fathers' being present. There was no obligatory back-slaps nor opening of ports on the rig. I was ready to kill someone! - a Trinidadian (my relief) who was slow in making his way to the rig! Good thing for him there were no untoward incident in the healthy delivery of our first child. My missus was in Miri with me - no relatives, no nothing. She had to take a taxi to the hospital...

    Yes Cap't, it's just another waypoint... Salaam and once again, Selamat H.U.T. !

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  2. bergen:

    Thank you. I have been a regular visitor of yr blog.

    Mat Salo;

    Thank you too. Are you back yet? Methinks am going to relish being a sexy sexagenarian ... haha

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  3. Happy birthday bang. The food sounds great. You think the council meeting could be held there (with you as special guest)heh heh heh ?

    ms, sailors never age - at least in their mind...

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  4. Happy birthday, Bro, from a stranger but a regular visitor of your blog.

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  5. Salute Captain!!

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! God bless you and many happy returns....

    p/s: I play you a birthday song on my keyboard today okay?

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  6. Apandi;

    Thanks. Makan no problem, just holler.

    bakaq a.k.a. ~penarik beca:

    Many thanks. Have been following yr blog too.

    elviza:

    Thank you. Now 1 and 2 and 3 ...

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  7. What! You old sea-salt....didnt let us know it was your 60th. OK this Friday, at the NPC, we will celebrate your 60th with fire-water. By the way, guys, don't you think Nuraisyah is ravishingly cute. No wonder he kep his birtday family. Didn't want big dogs,ole dogs and stud dogs around. Capt. luckily Nuraisyah looks like the mother (I think). Gotcha there Captain. Tomorrow then and we will talk about Friday and the Philippines Caper.

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  8. Happy belated birthday Captain... ypu..life has to go on... and with that I hope, what's coming brings many happy returns to you and your loved ones...

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  9. Zorro;

    thanks. Will see ya Friday

    Raden:

    Thank you too. How's the preparation for the race?

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  10. Awang Kelana
    Dear Ancient mariner,
    Happy Birthday Sir , It shall be more to come....me been at sea for so long ....sailing aimlessly for reasons best known to me...bawak hati konon .
    Should I return home ? Should i continue sailing? I guess you are the the person who can give me the best answer...an Ancient Mariner.

    After awhile you just like being alone I guess.

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  11. Awang Kelana?

    Its a matter of personal choice. I have friends who are still at sea after 30 years, children all grown up and they dont really need the money.

    You can live in a big city with millions of people and still be alone...

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  12. I guess I am like the baby tomato 'Ketching up' with the rest!
    Been so bogged down at work, being stressed out and all, I have not been doing my blounds! (Blog rounds!)

    So, I'm sure you had a good one....
    Keep on chugging! and blogging of course! Looks like I also missed last Friday!

    Enjoy the Phillipines!

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  13. A Belated Happy 60th Birthday!

    Guess we are of the same vintage but my day is in November.

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  14. h j angus:

    Thank you and thanks for visiting.

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  15. Dear the ancient mariner, it's a belated happy birthday wish to you. You look great at 60, perhaps (apologies) you could do better with a reduced waistline. Anyway, you and I share the same birth date (June 10th) with the exception that I'm 4 years your senior (in age, that's). This is the 1st time I happen to read your blog. I'm enjoying it. Keep it up. From Hj. Sham

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  16. Thank you Tuan Haji. Belated happy birthday to you too.

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