Jazz Dinner on a snowy night

I had dinner at Marilyn and Robert’s house again last night and it was quite an occasion. They invited some 40 people and there was a 3-piece jazz band to entertain us as well. I met several interesting people and had wonderful conversations with them. Robert announced that before dessert all the men must leave their tables and to other tables so that they would meet other ladies. What a wonderful idea!

Several of the people I spoke to had been to Malaysia, and spoke well of Malaysia. To those who had not, I had a great time telling them about all the wonderful things that awaited them in my country, very much supported by those around us who had been – and they were impressed. I was glad to do my bit for Malaysian tourism!

The dinner party was a pleasant way to spend a cold, seemingly endless snowy winter night. We started early, invitation was at 6 pm. (it gets dark here by 5 pm) and by 9.30 pm people started to leave. It was good timing, and I had time to watch the news and read my Internet at home after that. I am not a fan a jazz but the trio played well and were given rousing applause at the end of the evening.

It is still a long way before winter ends. I wish the snow will just melt away. It has been around over a month now. The last few days saw some sunshine and temperature finally going above zero, which melted some of the snow but there is still plenty around yet!
My dear friend Prof. Beep and her two colleagues arrive tonight from their week-long work in Germany (enrolling all those lucky MARA-sponsored students in various institutes in Germany) for a short visit before they fly back to Malaysia. No doubt they will be heading for the Bally outlet tomorrow!

This year I need not go to Davos for the World Economic Forum which will be from 24 – 27 January, as I had for the last two consecutive years. So I am going to leave this cold snowy place seek some sunshine. Come Sunday I leave for Egypt for a week and take a luxury cruise up the Nile from Aswan to Luxor, and visit Alexandria (I had already done Cairo and the Pyramids and the Sphinx in 1984).

Meanwhile to the mosque for Friday prayers. I hope Mustafa the Albanian imam does not scream and shout again as he has a habit of doing at the sermon! Three Fridays ago, having just returned from his annual pilgrimage in Mecca for the haj and all fired up with what was happening in Gaza, he gave a fiery talk before the prayer. And then he got all fired up again during a particularly lengthy sermon, shouting and raising his voice until his face was all red and and you could see all the veins. Bad enough I did not understand a word of the Arabic, Albanian and German he was sermonizing in, but his shouting and screaming really got me! Of course we are all extremely upset and concerned over what was happening in Gaza, but screaming and shouting do not really help!

Often I was tempted to ask him why did he raise his voice and shout so much during the sermons. But each time after prayer he would stand outside the hall and greet the congregation as they leave and when it was my turn he would take my hand and kiss me on both cheeks! So how was I going to tell him to tone down a bit!