During the raya holiday, I forced myself to get up at 7.30am knowing that mum will be up early too. Morning is the only time she's willing to chit chat, other times she will be busy working or busy watching DVDs. :)
In 1949, she was 3 years old and whole family were in Thailand.
Not wearing anything but a draw string pants, she was very playful, always running about. They stayed at the city, in a shoplot, right opposite was a groceries shop where her friend Ai stays. The train will pass by few times a day. Her mum (my grandma) told her whenever she hear the train "woooooong, bing bom bing bom bing bom" that's an indication that it's 12pm and she has to come home for lunch. She always play with Ai, which is just opposite, behind the Ai's shop was a tree planted on sand... she remembered CLEARLY once they peed on the sand together, and played with the wet sand, pressing them with bare hands. Then she heard the train, she immediately ran home. She was scolded for the dirt all over her from playing. She sat down on the chair for lunch, because she was only 3, she had to kneel on the chair just so she could see her bowl. :)
Ai's family was church goers, so she shared with her about Christ. I don't know what Ai said to her but they were in the storeroom of the groceries shop. She was lying down on the sacks of rice, and holding a wooden chair. The wood looks a little like a cross, she said she held it before her chest, closed her eyes, and thought she could go to heaven just like that, she opened her eyes to realise that she didn't fly and felt stranged. :)
It was in Thailand where she was caught of stealing money from her mum (my grandma). Her grandfather dealt with the situation wisely, by teaching her the good values to be a good person. She started a "savings account" with him, and only withdraw the money for luxurious sweets during CNY.
Because her mum had too many kids to take care of (6 of them when they were in Thailand), she often went to bed having a sweet in her mouth! That's how she had to visit the dentist several times and I peeped into her mouth, there were really a lot of fillings here and there!
Her grandfather sets 12pm as lunch time and 5pm as dinner time. :) Her mum would cook lunch and dinner. For breakfast, she would prepare a small table, right in front of the staircase, with boiled water & milo or coco powder. Her grandfather would make his own drink and she often sits at the staircase admiring the aroma of coco. Sometimes he will let her have some of his drink. :)
This picture was taken in 1954 in Thailand, mum was 8 years old. She's the cute one on the far right. They were at her grandma's grave.
From left : her grand uncle who later also died of sickness, her dad (my grandfather), my 1st uncle, 2nd uncle, 4th aunty and my mum.
Stories told by Uncle Charles (mum's youngest brother)
We started emailing each other because I was sending my ebay stuffs to his house. He started telling me about some family history and giving tips on making home-cooked meals although both myself and Joshua is working. It is possible and is really comforting to know!
Chubby Mum & Uncle Charles in London
4th Aunt, Uncle Charles & Mum in London
Your mom had quite a few admirers from Malaysia and London, When I joined her in London, living in a room sharing bathroom with others, two males from Malaysia upstairs studying engineering at Queen Mary College, University of London, had eyes on her but mom ignored them, by now your dad was in the picture and much later your dad gave up his job and joined her in law school.
Grandma in kitchen in Ayer Tawar, Setiawan (mum's hometown)
My father was seved by my mother during his life time until some where in 1979 when I was home I could not take it anymore I instructed my mother to stop serving him when he calls for his drinks and water to take his pills and also his change of clothes for his shower - reason is my father did not have any broken limbs nor is handicap. Only then my mother started to rebel. I can still remember when my father called her to bring him some water that morning I was beside her supporting her and gave her the courage not to answer. My father was furious but my mother answered him " why can't you do it yourself, you do not have any broken limbs, can't you help yourself?" My father was stunned. Henceforth, my mother told him to make his own drinks, change of clothes etc.
1984 summer I discovered Ah Ma had cervical cancer during their visit in San Francisco, I knew my mother had not gone through any procedures including pep smear during her life. Her cancer was detected early after I questioned her - she told me her panty was spotting about a year but I cannot blame her because she had no basic health education. So I consulted with my brother Paul and she was diverted to Sydney for her hysterectomy. Before the flight took off, my father approached me and promised me he will look after my mother and asked me not to worry. He was a changed man.
me with grandparents in 1986.
In my household from day one we do not have division of labor or what a housewife must do and a husband should not. There is no such rule. I personally do all. When Pascal was born and came home, I took over feeding into the night, changing his diapers, bathing him, doing his bottles and formula, taking him to the baby sitter. I took over the work after 9 months to raise him. Making the for formula became an art and science. If you need the know how I can tell you later, is my secret.
After Perri was born I did the same but with refinement. I bathe the babies everyday after I picked them up, when they are toddlers gave them showers together served them until they went to boarding school.
Just a note: the easiest and best way to clean a baby's bottom when soiled - have a bucket with warm water, dip the ass (wipe ass off first) in the bucket and wash. Over time you can feel the baby feels better and comfortable.
Slow cooker is something you may want to look into to cook dinner. If you get organized and both can help each other it will not be difficult. Aunt Maria arrived home by 7pm, dinner is ready, baby is clean and fed and asleep, bottles are washed and boiled and formula is ready to be poured into the bottles, any laundry is in the washer before I cook dinner and in the dryer during dinner time. My last thing is getting the laundry from the dryer for the evening. So get organized it will not be so bad. There is no such job that is women's other than giving birth.
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