It is the time of the year for those who celebrate the Chinese (or Lunar) New year. The exchange of mandarin oranges is the custom of Chinese. The oranges stand for 'gold', and is exchange with greetings of abundance, good fortune, health and prosperity. It is the only time the year perhaps for many of us to visit our relatives. And this post serves to freeze the moment in time, for my three 'grandmothers', as I only visit them once a year.
This is my maternal grand mother. Visibly aged, she has shrunk a lot in the previous years, and has great difficulty in walking. My maternal grand father has passed away more than twenty years ago and my grand mother has soldiered on with seven children and sixteen grand children. Barely able to converse in my limited command of Hokkien, she gamely smiled at me when I whipped out my camera and took a few snaps. This is the first year that she wasn't able to attend the yearly family gathering as she is practically wheelchair bound and has no lift access in her flat.
This is my paternal grand mother, with six children, eleven grand children and three great grand children. My paternal grand father just passed away three years ago. I can barely speak Teochew and could not really converse with her. She hardly smiles, and this shot was blur due to hand shake but her smile was captured.
This is my 'ah um', my babysitter when I was a baby. When I could remember at five years old, I was visiting her and staying with her periodically. I've always looked forward to stay with her as she would bring me to playground at void decks and I could have as much fun and time without any curfews from my parents. I would remember that my feet were completely black after each session at the sand-filled play grounds in the 1980s! I would also remember that she cooked the best pig kidney's soup, with generous amounts of ginger and kidney. It was a delicacy and pricey item before the health chants on good and bad cholesterol. Now, she's at a nursing home, and this is my first visit in two years and she has almost could not recognise me. She still hasl good mobility and amazing lungs (the entire floor of twenty plus occupants can hear her speak!).
As time goes back to normal on Monday, we will be busy with our lives, it'll be fast-forward another year before we visit these important figures in our lives. Cherish your loved ones!
