Company !

Sara was up 7am this morning. Why?

To make ice cream for favourite girl friend - Esther Kang!

It's her birthday and it 's lunch somewhere in town today.

Ice - cream !

Ma, I brought home company for you...Esther, Agnes, Ellan... welcome.

They babbled for a couple of hours over ice-cream in the house. I did not really hear their conversation but it the sounded like music to my ears. Yea, they can talk anything they want as long as there is noise in the house. They are all ex-seafieldians and I used to be Puan Chong to them. But now...just call me anything la...and you still get your ang pow on this last day of the Lunar New Year Celebration.

Yea, am glad to see them growing up well.

Happy Birthday, Esther.

Glad She's Around

I am glad no.3 is still around.

It's terrible to walk into empty rooms...

So, Sara's again into her favourite past time...

I must reaffirm my pride in her.

Yesterday she baked some for a dear friend's grandpa's birthday. Thought the cakes look professionally done and I was informed that the ones who ate them did not believe it was done by her.

Last night she told me she is passionate about many things besides baking. She made me promise to send her to tailoring classes after her finals before she leaves me. I casually agreed. These days I hang around her often to her chagrin. She asks me to leave her alone and not tag around her.

I am afraid I can't. It's terrible not to have your children around you. But I suppose, this is life.

My bearing is still off and am trying to get myself on course. Much as I want to indulge in things around me, the emptiness is too large for me to contain at times.

But, I must try.

SLRs

The new craze in town

An old fad made new

Why is everyone so mad about it?

Daddy told me in olden days people used to carry heavy cameras around and that gradually evolved into a smaller version which is neat and light. But now they have gone back to the old days again. Just like fashion... the crock pants, midis, maxis, minis ... they were once popular then they left the scene and now they are here again.

So it's no wonder that SLRs are here to stay for a while be it among young working adults or school children. It's as though photography is no more the best without them. Mind you ... the SLRs are a sure expensive indulgence ! ... It costs to have that lens, flash and what nought. I just don't understand why there is the need to lug that gigantic and heavy bag wherever you go ... just to snap! Call me old fashion and ignorant. But really, is there such a need?

In school, I have been observing her lugging that bag everywhere!

This young man is seen everywhere for every occasion to try that out ! So everyday they are flocking here and there supposingly snapping the best ever !

At home, the nephew is equally crazy about it...snap, snap, snap.





Of course she is the queen of shots...handbag is not important. That camera bag brings more meaning. By the way the photo is taken by a humble sony camera...looks just fine.

So, she sometimes say ... yea ma...your camera is not too bad too .
Yea, a small camera snaps as fine.

What Do You Do ?

Responses

Gated communities are popular today. Everywhere you go in Subang Jaya you will be greeted with security guards all ready to interrogate.
It is not otherwise where I stay. In all honesty, the place feels safer than before...at least shoes don't go missing overnight and you don't wake up to a shock with your wheels not on the road. Yes, you do feel a sense of security and the guards have learnt about you too. They recognize the car you drive and will gladly allow you in when you have the familiar sticker on.

However, their over enthusiasm in greeting you each time you leave your gates or when you come home is surely eating into my conscience. Do you respond with a smile, a wave or a hoot?
Whatever you decision may be, they are bound to raise their hands in a wave in respond to a good day and a welcome home.








Their patience and polite dispositon may put one in a fix. When you don't respond you seem rude and unfriendly. But when you have to wave all the time, it also means you have to be in the mood whether it be natural or put on. So what do you do?

After much consideration and thought, I suppose you will have to respond appropriately because it reflects one's inner self and attitude. We have to justify a right behaviour.

So, just wave la...like it or not!

Blow !

Good family fun

We blew in the good old days

Still blowing

Who has the best blow?

At 25...

At 23...

At 12...

But at 1 you only pick !

Yea, yea Jay... pick, pick, pick !

Let's Go Fly A Kite

Fly Kite

It's not a cliche one would want to be associated with but we really had fun this break flying kites both young and old ! Who says we don't love fun of the old?

There's a new craze in Muar Tanjung Agas where vendors are making quite a buck selling kites!

Esther is the epitome of fun...never a moment of quiet ; always looking for fun...so she blew...

Perhaps even greater than fun itself is dad. His childhood memories of fun and rugged games took the better hold of him and he took his 3 girls for kite flying lessons.








Grace took the opportunity to belt out :


Oh, oh oh !
Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Let's go fly a kite!


That's the good part of soaking them with classic movies like Mary Poppins ! Really when you teach, some lessons stay for life .









The girls encountered a problem that could not be avoided though - getting the kites stuck on trees! So often the thrill of flying the kite was rudely dismissed when that happened.





So clever daddy found a solution ! Flying the kite on the grounds of Por's condominium.

The surrounding tress were low and did not pose so great a hazard and so the song continued...

When you send it flyin' up there
All at once you're lighter than air
You can dance on the breeze
Over 'ouses and trees
With your fist 'olding tight
To the string of your kite...Oh, oh, oh...



"With your fist 'olding tight to the string of your kite" ... daddy told me 2 important words :

Tug
Release

It dawned upon me immediately on the way we should try and help our children. We learn to release them into the world and pull them back a little when we offer advice. If we fail to release then they cannot fly high enough to achieve and that may be sad. Uncle Choy commented that even if we release there must be a platform for them to climb...just like that breeze. Without that breeze the kite won't fly. So he said it's God's divine intervention that is important ... that breeze. How appropriate !




Picking up mistakes and putting them back to order is always dad's forte. Here we see dad climbing walls and crossing roads to pick up the fallen kites when the strings broke. Yes, he's always the one to do it. Never letting things go without first finding a solution. We had fun at dad's sacrifice... 'daddy, daddy, the string broke...' You need to be a daddy to know his feelings when he hears his girls' cries.





It was absolute fun to feel the kite flying when you hold the string as though the kite is really under your control but strangely enough even though it may be flying high at one point ; it could at the same time just lose the momentum at some other moments and the disaster occurs...so similar to life's ups and downs. Flying the kite actually evoked a lot of self searching moments.




This inquisitive mama here being a KLite all her life could not resist the fun too ! Hei mama be careful...the little girl may just turn out to be a tomboy!




So today I released my 2 daughters...one to Singapore and the other to Melbourne. Girls, fly your kites well...tug and release... and do what is appropriate. Jeremiah 29 : 11-14 are for you both.

Back home resting on the walls...dad's great innovation...reminders of fun. We'll fly again when the girls are back.

The Reunion Dinner

Tradition

The typical Chinese home takes great effort to gather all loved ones for this auspicious dinner... the Reunion Dinner on the eve of the Lunar New Year. Traditionally the male factor surpasses every reasoning and the dinner must be at the paternal side. I find it hard to concede to this practice totally... surely a compromise can be derived.

Last year at this time , I had hoped that it would be different this year. That I would be able to persuade daddy for a different decision. That was easier imagined than done.

Maternal Gran : "O, when are you coming back? " Even though I have just been back a couple of weeks ago, it's never enough for them. They want to see you often. How do you tell the dear old folks we are still contemplating?

Paternal Gran: " Son, when are you coming home?" Dad will go " er... er I will let you know..."

Then the husband and wife will put the cards on the table and start to reason. Is there no other reason except the male factor? I beg to differ.

After much contemplation, with the Unseen Help, we found a solution that will make both sides happy...have dinner at both sides !

So, this afternoon we will pick Grace after her call and have an early dinner with the paternal side in Kulai , after which we will make our way to the maternal side in Muar for another dinner ... eat to please everyone at the cost of putting on some unwanted weight. What is the weight though if everyone is happy?

I want to treasure all moments. Next year at this time, Sara will be in the UK and on the 3rd day of this Lunar New Year, Esther will leave me again for Down Under. Getting the nest together as they grow up is a challenge. So, every moment is precious to me.

May all find peace and joy over dinner this evening .

To all friends and loved ones, once again ..."Sin Nien Kwai Ler"

Joyful Spring

The Lunar New Year

The Malaysian Chinese display close family ties and traditional practices each time the Lunar New Year arrives . Ops Sikap will be franctically on its alert to remind travellers the need to be careful on the road. During this festival, everyone travels - Chinese, Malays, Indians and the like as the country experiences long breaks from work. Malaysia is so fun. I dare say we are the only country in the whole wide world which has such rich inter-racial relationships and it is no wonder others may find us strange ... envying us for the many holidays.

This year, I thought I would do some readers a favour especially those away from home by showing some of the decos I collected during my shopping sprees. Not that I shop a lot but I just wanted to be where the action is and savour in some of the festive mood. Strange that as I get older, I long to hold whatever memories I can on life's moments and treasure the times of home and love.

So here's the display...

At One Utama,

The classical music was enchanting...

But, but, why cats and not tigers?

In Lot 10,

The Red Flora Ribbon... the unmistakable symbol of fortune and luck.

I was mesmerised by the characters, all depicting the names of families...

It says "pai chia syn" which may I humbly interpret as the 100 families tree. The Chinese are so closely knitted and take pride in family trees and belonging.

At Sungei Wang Plaza ...

The lanterns are huge and majestic.

There were some very Chinese sense outside the doors of the mall.

Within the mall, the tiger takes its place...year of the tiger in a typically China town ethos.

Nearer home at Subang Parade...

The typical Chinese bridge where girls meet boys...romance in Spring.

Raise the lanterns...

Lovely gifts displayed tastefully on the floor and it's catch on the eyes...must buy !



Mega Mall cannot lose out on the season too...

Exotic. Lotus to depict love, gentleness and romance in this lovely Spring ... a season for all lovers !

"Rhyu Yi" ... may all that is wished for, hoped for, longed for...

MAY IT ALL BE YOURS

To all my colleagues and students in school.


HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR !