(no subject)
hey guys,
this is too cool, i've gotta post it.
my grandma is WAYYY tooo cool.
so she dropped by in SG. and she always gives a $60 angpow everytime she comes, yes i know inflation, and it should go up, but i'm not complaining at all, coz she rocks. so today, she comes and gives me 2 angpows, and say "help me pass one to your sister blah blah blah"
which is like cool, of course, sure, no problem.
then she goes, (in cantonese), let me explain the angpow to you, so i was like huh? isn't it the standard $60 angpow, what explanation is needed. but then she goes, "there's a note inside, special one. its british pounds (okay it wasn't really british pounds)." and so hey, she still has leftover pounds from our europe trip 3 years back, and she somehow found it and decided to give to us coz she got no use for it.
then she continues "not british pound, this one is last time one. used to sell the "zhu" in canto, which i interpreted as pearls. so i was like woah, she sell her jewellery just to change for the pounds." so i was so excited, coz i love old notes, and u know, i love history, and anything to do with it, so i said "i open the angpow ah?" and opened it.
and out comes this 1941, 10 dollar note, its straits currency. (LOOKS LIKE THIS) from way back. i was like WOAH, haha damn cool please. then she continues her story of her selling her "zhu", then after awhile, i asked her, wait wait wait, "so what "zhu" is this, is pearls, or what?" then she clarified, and i realised what she was referring to was PIGS. so this was when she reared pigs, and sold of a few pigs. she said one $10 note could buy 1 pig then. how cool. so she sold a few pigs, and got the money. THEN, the story continues, the JAPANESE CAME. straits currency could no longer be used, so she kept it, and somehow never touched it until now. as she said "keep ah, keep ah, somehow keep for tens of years already" so she now decided to take it out to give her grandchildren. like i really love her. but i don't know to feel sad or not.
coz life is fragile and she's 84 already. going strong, but u never know, suffered a minor stroke after the death of her first daughter, as she puts it "after 'dai gu ma' left, i was very sad, then the body couldn't take it' but thankfully for her, it was a minor one, and she's up and running, (you should see how fast she walks/runs in a casino) , like sometimes she's fitter than my mum srsly. we used to joke abt how the ages should be reversed, and my mum should be 84, and my grandma 48. i mean sometimes, her short term memory is failing her already, that's kinda sad, because she's really such a legacy. i really haven't gotten to spend enough time with her sigh.
yea and so she fought back from her stroke, refused to say die, and now she's climbing gates and what not! (YES SHE GOT LOCKED OUT OF THE TERRACE HOUSE IN MSIA LAST YEAR, WHILE PRAYING AT THE ALTAR OUTSIDE, THE DOOR SLAMMED, so she climbed over the gate and walked to my aunt's house ( a 15 mins walk) and asked for help) hello, how cool is that, climbing over gates when you're 83.
i guess she really had a tough life, but she a tough woman. tough tough woman, and i really respect her alot? the japs came when she was 16, and she had to marry this guy, for financial and whatever security. i guess she didn't complain. and she didn't even mind the fact that he alr had a first wife back in china, like she's gone to visit the first wife's family in china even. i don't know if its love, or its practical realities, but i guess i'd never know. so she had her first kid at 18, in the 3rd year of the jap ocupation. she's pretty awesome, i did this biography on her for a pri sch Social Studies project on your family tree. She was a cook for the japs before, used to sell food in a canteen, then recently she brought down these mini black and white photos of her shop. (yes how entrepreneuring), she's a seamstress and her kids followed her la, so the 1st, 2nd and 4th daughter all learnt and helped her. She doted on the 1st daughter and hence was very very affected by her passing. so its not enough to have ur own clothes shop, she said she had another section of her shop that sold cosmetics. haha western products, like make up ("yan zi" in chinese), perfume and stuff. she said the rich ladies loved them. hahaha damn cool, coz she brought her 8-1 kids (she passed her 3rd daughter to her friend to take care, coz she really couldn't cope then, but they're on good terms so its okay) up in 1 room, and slowly worked enough to get a house. then her daughters and her worked doubly hard, to get enough money to send my dad to UK to study (yea my dad worked and contributed abit too la) but still, respect la, she said she had to work damn hard just to send like the 120 pounds needed or what. coz 1 pound = 11-12 straits currency dollars which she was earning.
and so i know i'm rambling about my grandmother, but you've got to know how much i've learnt to respect her, and love her. like i don't even want to think of a time when she's gone, but i know its an eventuality. and that's sad and scary to know. i think i'll cry for days, and not get over it for months. SIGH, hopefully i'll have someone special to help me through that period. but like. okay i don't wanna think about it.
EH but she has so many cute moments. i gotta ramble some more.
1. so recently during her last visit, my mum kept whining and complaining to her (coz my mum knows how much moral authority my grandma has over me), "joel's eyes are so sunken coz he drinks so much alcohol, sleep so little" WHICH MY GRANDMA CLEVERLY AND WITTILY REPLIED "you go take photo with him la, and see, your eyes also like that mah"
2. my dad is trying actively to evangelise to her, and so my grandma tells my mum "aiyah, its not that i don't want to believe your god. i know your god has blessed your family alot, but my goddess of mercy has brought me through so much over the years, i cannot abandon her" WHICH i totally understand, coz faith is a very personal thing, and i guess its what she relied on to get through the tough times, and she's gone through them, so she believes in Goddess of mercy. so my dad told my mum to tell her "then how, you cannot go heaven leh?" then my grandma quickly replied. " if i go to heaven, what about my 2 other sons and other kids (who are mainly buddhist). even if i go to heaven, without them, heaven would be hell for me" HAHA loves <3
3. so yes i always piss my mum off, so granny tells me "aiyah, your mum holds the key to the family finances, don't piss her off, if not no family inheritance for you.." hahahaha, i always chuckle when she says that. then she will continue "see i also have to listen to her, if not how to get my allowance" LOL, but i really must say she's very good at keeping everyone happy. very good. must aim to be like her.
4. her sense of direction OWNZ my mum's. even in europe. hahaha, got to love her for the moments she corrects my mum.
So things i wanna do with her before she passes
1. find out more about her history, so i can tell her story next time to generations down
2. go to a casino with her when i turn 21, she's very funny when she talks about her escapades in a casino, and i jsut wanna see how she takes risks.
3. spend more time. however little it is. every moment is better than none.
aiyah, this is a very happifying post, yet saddening at times. i remember as a kid, i was very happy when she came, coz i wouldn't get scolded by my mum when she's around, and i could go to the train station (hence i have VERY fond memories of the train station, i would cry when i send her off. i MUST go there before it shuts), she would rub my mosquito bites with medicated oil, and just be there. i remember there was once, after she left, i hid in one corner of my parents room, the radio was playing this emo calming water rolling onto the beach kinda music, then i really stuffed myself inbetween the cupboard and the bed and started crying coz i was very sad. (yes drama emo kid since young) but i guess my grandma is someone very close to my heart. very special, if not i wouldn't ramble for so long.
if you've read till here, thanks alot, coz i know you don't have to, its really just for me to put down in words how i feel, before i forget again.
i dunno when the day comes, when she's not around, and i will come back to this post. to try to grasp and hold on to whatever memories i have of her.
so what more apt way to end this post than with a picture, coz it speaks a thousand words.
this was taken (when she didn't notice) when she was watching over me, while i was hospitalised 2 years back in J2. its been 2 years alr, but is one of those photos, i know i will look back at one day and cry over. )':
as you guys can see, her left eye/side of her face is abit droopy, effects of her stroke back in 1997/1998, but yea, i remember rushing to KL hospital, and saw her lying in the hospital bed with tubes, i really really hope i don't have to see that again ):
OKAY all too depressing, and camp tmr, so i shan't bother and be worried about things that have not happened.
i'm very thankful for everyone who has read up till here, coz you really didn't have to, and i'm just glad to share with you a very special person in my life. :D i s
this is too cool, i've gotta post it.
my grandma is WAYYY tooo cool.
so she dropped by in SG. and she always gives a $60 angpow everytime she comes, yes i know inflation, and it should go up, but i'm not complaining at all, coz she rocks. so today, she comes and gives me 2 angpows, and say "help me pass one to your sister blah blah blah"
which is like cool, of course, sure, no problem.
then she goes, (in cantonese), let me explain the angpow to you, so i was like huh? isn't it the standard $60 angpow, what explanation is needed. but then she goes, "there's a note inside, special one. its british pounds (okay it wasn't really british pounds)." and so hey, she still has leftover pounds from our europe trip 3 years back, and she somehow found it and decided to give to us coz she got no use for it.
then she continues "not british pound, this one is last time one. used to sell the "zhu" in canto, which i interpreted as pearls. so i was like woah, she sell her jewellery just to change for the pounds." so i was so excited, coz i love old notes, and u know, i love history, and anything to do with it, so i said "i open the angpow ah?" and opened it.
and out comes this 1941, 10 dollar note, its straits currency. (LOOKS LIKE THIS) from way back. i was like WOAH, haha damn cool please. then she continues her story of her selling her "zhu", then after awhile, i asked her, wait wait wait, "so what "zhu" is this, is pearls, or what?" then she clarified, and i realised what she was referring to was PIGS. so this was when she reared pigs, and sold of a few pigs. she said one $10 note could buy 1 pig then. how cool. so she sold a few pigs, and got the money. THEN, the story continues, the JAPANESE CAME. straits currency could no longer be used, so she kept it, and somehow never touched it until now. as she said "keep ah, keep ah, somehow keep for tens of years already" so she now decided to take it out to give her grandchildren. like i really love her. but i don't know to feel sad or not.
coz life is fragile and she's 84 already. going strong, but u never know, suffered a minor stroke after the death of her first daughter, as she puts it "after 'dai gu ma' left, i was very sad, then the body couldn't take it' but thankfully for her, it was a minor one, and she's up and running, (you should see how fast she walks/runs in a casino) , like sometimes she's fitter than my mum srsly. we used to joke abt how the ages should be reversed, and my mum should be 84, and my grandma 48. i mean sometimes, her short term memory is failing her already, that's kinda sad, because she's really such a legacy. i really haven't gotten to spend enough time with her sigh.
yea and so she fought back from her stroke, refused to say die, and now she's climbing gates and what not! (YES SHE GOT LOCKED OUT OF THE TERRACE HOUSE IN MSIA LAST YEAR, WHILE PRAYING AT THE ALTAR OUTSIDE, THE DOOR SLAMMED, so she climbed over the gate and walked to my aunt's house ( a 15 mins walk) and asked for help) hello, how cool is that, climbing over gates when you're 83.
i guess she really had a tough life, but she a tough woman. tough tough woman, and i really respect her alot? the japs came when she was 16, and she had to marry this guy, for financial and whatever security. i guess she didn't complain. and she didn't even mind the fact that he alr had a first wife back in china, like she's gone to visit the first wife's family in china even. i don't know if its love, or its practical realities, but i guess i'd never know. so she had her first kid at 18, in the 3rd year of the jap ocupation. she's pretty awesome, i did this biography on her for a pri sch Social Studies project on your family tree. She was a cook for the japs before, used to sell food in a canteen, then recently she brought down these mini black and white photos of her shop. (yes how entrepreneuring), she's a seamstress and her kids followed her la, so the 1st, 2nd and 4th daughter all learnt and helped her. She doted on the 1st daughter and hence was very very affected by her passing. so its not enough to have ur own clothes shop, she said she had another section of her shop that sold cosmetics. haha western products, like make up ("yan zi" in chinese), perfume and stuff. she said the rich ladies loved them. hahaha damn cool, coz she brought her 8-1 kids (she passed her 3rd daughter to her friend to take care, coz she really couldn't cope then, but they're on good terms so its okay) up in 1 room, and slowly worked enough to get a house. then her daughters and her worked doubly hard, to get enough money to send my dad to UK to study (yea my dad worked and contributed abit too la) but still, respect la, she said she had to work damn hard just to send like the 120 pounds needed or what. coz 1 pound = 11-12 straits currency dollars which she was earning.
and so i know i'm rambling about my grandmother, but you've got to know how much i've learnt to respect her, and love her. like i don't even want to think of a time when she's gone, but i know its an eventuality. and that's sad and scary to know. i think i'll cry for days, and not get over it for months. SIGH, hopefully i'll have someone special to help me through that period. but like. okay i don't wanna think about it.
EH but she has so many cute moments. i gotta ramble some more.
1. so recently during her last visit, my mum kept whining and complaining to her (coz my mum knows how much moral authority my grandma has over me), "joel's eyes are so sunken coz he drinks so much alcohol, sleep so little" WHICH MY GRANDMA CLEVERLY AND WITTILY REPLIED "you go take photo with him la, and see, your eyes also like that mah"
2. my dad is trying actively to evangelise to her, and so my grandma tells my mum "aiyah, its not that i don't want to believe your god. i know your god has blessed your family alot, but my goddess of mercy has brought me through so much over the years, i cannot abandon her" WHICH i totally understand, coz faith is a very personal thing, and i guess its what she relied on to get through the tough times, and she's gone through them, so she believes in Goddess of mercy. so my dad told my mum to tell her "then how, you cannot go heaven leh?" then my grandma quickly replied. " if i go to heaven, what about my 2 other sons and other kids (who are mainly buddhist). even if i go to heaven, without them, heaven would be hell for me" HAHA loves <3
3. so yes i always piss my mum off, so granny tells me "aiyah, your mum holds the key to the family finances, don't piss her off, if not no family inheritance for you.." hahahaha, i always chuckle when she says that. then she will continue "see i also have to listen to her, if not how to get my allowance" LOL, but i really must say she's very good at keeping everyone happy. very good. must aim to be like her.
4. her sense of direction OWNZ my mum's. even in europe. hahaha, got to love her for the moments she corrects my mum.
So things i wanna do with her before she passes
1. find out more about her history, so i can tell her story next time to generations down
2. go to a casino with her when i turn 21, she's very funny when she talks about her escapades in a casino, and i jsut wanna see how she takes risks.
3. spend more time. however little it is. every moment is better than none.
aiyah, this is a very happifying post, yet saddening at times. i remember as a kid, i was very happy when she came, coz i wouldn't get scolded by my mum when she's around, and i could go to the train station (hence i have VERY fond memories of the train station, i would cry when i send her off. i MUST go there before it shuts), she would rub my mosquito bites with medicated oil, and just be there. i remember there was once, after she left, i hid in one corner of my parents room, the radio was playing this emo calming water rolling onto the beach kinda music, then i really stuffed myself inbetween the cupboard and the bed and started crying coz i was very sad. (yes drama emo kid since young) but i guess my grandma is someone very close to my heart. very special, if not i wouldn't ramble for so long.
if you've read till here, thanks alot, coz i know you don't have to, its really just for me to put down in words how i feel, before i forget again.
i dunno when the day comes, when she's not around, and i will come back to this post. to try to grasp and hold on to whatever memories i have of her.
so what more apt way to end this post than with a picture, coz it speaks a thousand words.
this was taken (when she didn't notice) when she was watching over me, while i was hospitalised 2 years back in J2. its been 2 years alr, but is one of those photos, i know i will look back at one day and cry over. )':
as you guys can see, her left eye/side of her face is abit droopy, effects of her stroke back in 1997/1998, but yea, i remember rushing to KL hospital, and saw her lying in the hospital bed with tubes, i really really hope i don't have to see that again ):
OKAY all too depressing, and camp tmr, so i shan't bother and be worried about things that have not happened.
i'm very thankful for everyone who has read up till here, coz you really didn't have to, and i'm just glad to share with you a very special person in my life. :D i s