Everybody on one couchSelamat Hari Raya and Eid Mubarak, everybody. It’s been a heck of a few months since I embarked on an overambitious home improvement project. The bricks began to fly in July with the demo crew, and it has been non-stop since then.

I’m SR and I august_ 053adding a two-story addition to the back of my house, more or less doubling the amount of living space, while making repairs to the existing portion. The upshot is I had to move the family out. We’re renting a duplex (or semi-D as they call them here) down the block, living out of a few suitcases. I’d tell you a sob story about how all five kids are forced to sleep cuddled together on mattresses pushed together on the floor of one room, but who am I kidding? They preferred to sleep that way in the old place too. Brickwork begins on the first floorNote the bed available on the rightThe plan was to be back in the new house for Ramadan – that date came and went, and by the time we started fasting it was pretty clear we wouldn’t be in for the holidays either. Mom is coming to visit in mid-November, so here’s hoping the house, if not complete, is at least livable by then. In the meantime, we are celebrating the holidays in the duplex, in which these pictures were taken.

Earth and fire colors this year

[You can check out a flickr set of the house project if you like.]

Published by bingregory

Official organ of an American Muslim in Malaysian Borneo, featuring plants, pantuns and pictures from the Malay archipelago. Oversharing since 2002.

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5 Comments

  1. salaam,

    thx 4 sharing this brother. it is a much need posting.

    please leave comments at fisabilillah12.wordpress.com

  2. wow! you sure did bite off a lot Zayn! I am excited for you and feeling for your occasional tension/frustration with wishing the work was done now, not next month or the month after. How are things at the moment. and what beautiful pictures of your family. I hope to meet them all in the coming year. I have beefed up the face book photos. although they are nothing compared to your blog. Much love to you and yours!

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