Blast From My Past

Dad

2011-06-10T14:57:00.000-07:00

The clicking of his walking stick woke me up from my sleep. I was hoping it's not what I think it was but dad was indeed trying to get downstairs on his own to my horror at 4.30am. His legs had been extremely weak lately. He fell three days in a row two weeks ago when we came back for a visit. Not off the stairs thankfully but terrifying enough and the possibility is no doubt very high if no one watches him.

As I sit here observing him trying to nod off, I find it so disheartening to watch a loved one in this state. I wonder if the dialysis procedure in the last five years had hasten up the deterioration of his body but we see so many others still very much their normal self in the hospital during regular check-ups.

I put it down to his mental state. Right from the start, he had given himself a death sentence. He knows that a person on dialysis will not live as long as he wishes to. So instead of making the best of whatever time he has left here on Earth, he just gave up altogether. Along with the depression, there's mom's constant nagging as the primary caregiver which probably further discouraged him from wanting to do any better than he already is. I don't want to blame Mom because everyone knows how much she's been through. She had been sticking to him through thick and thin and I can only give her credit for what she is doing.

I dread THE day but worse still, no one knows who will actually go first. We human are so dependent on one another without us even realizing sometimes. Without one or the other, life will be tough but it goes on. It always does. So it's only best to pick up the pieces soonest possible and move on.

I am thankful that I have come to know Jesus in my life. That makes living a little easier sometimes knowing that Someone out there is watching out for me. Life is still tough but there's also plenty to look forward to and be thankful about...

Art

2011-04-24T02:06:00.000-07:00

I remember there was once we were asked to draw and paint. I was probably still in primary school then. Maybe something like Primary Three? The theme must have 'Your House' or something to that extend. Mom had helped me with the painting. Ok, she drew and painted it! The very next day in school, I gladly took it out of my bag to hand it up. My classmate next to me immediately asked me if I had done it myself and I said 'yes' without hesitation. It must have been obvious that I wouldn't have produced wuch work. Well, the teacher didn't say anything and that's what mattered then! Hah...

Half Boiled Eggs Tool

2011-01-03T02:06:00.000-08:00

This morning I was thinking of the yellow half boiled egg equipment that we used to use to get the perfect half boiled eggs! There are markings on the container and you just have to pour the desired amount of boiling water in, leave it as the water drains to the bottom half and voila! The perfect half boiled eggs! Gotta go ask Mom if it's still around and then nick it!

Taken from http://www.chocolatesuze.com/2010/06/07/soft-boiled-eggs-kaya

School Bus Part Deux

2011-01-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

Bro and I used to compete all the time. We both always want to win and this almost always leads to a fight. One competition occurs after school. Uncle Bus will drop us off at the end of our street and bro and I will run for our lives to reach our house, heavy school bag on our backs and a water bottle in one hand. I can just imagine the scene - two school kids scrambling along the street. The last one to reach has to close the gate which somehow is something that we dread. Silly I know but I guess at that age, closing the gate feels like a chore and no kiddo likes chores! Hrmph...

School Bus

2010-12-22T19:49:00.000-08:00

Taken from http://www.pbase.com/bmcmorrow/image/83101013

This morning in bed, I was somehow brought back to the time we went to school in a school bus that looks something like the picture above. We sort of have our own reserved seats. There were pros and cons for the bus driver to pick you up first or last. If you are first, then you get the best seats but you have to be ready hours before school starts. If you are last, you don't need to board so early and have more time in bed or to finish up that last minute bit of homework but you will probably have to choose a sit next to someone. Hopefully someone nice enough to last the short remaining journey to school.

Usually on the way home is when we usually get a little more rowdy. The students from our bus are considered quite well behaved. I have seen some kids from other buses throw empty packets of water or scrunch up pieces of paper over through the opened windows. (We used to buy drinks (and other nick-nacks like kacang putih) scooped into plastic bags from a vendor outside the school for about 20sen!)

Taken from http://practicality.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/sgh-coffee-sources/

We used to call the driver Uncle Bus... (!!). He was a medium built man who had a bald spot in the middle. I wonder if he is still around. It has been about 20 years now.

Gardening

2010-12-22T19:42:00.000-08:00

Before the major renovation of the house about five years back, we used to have a plot of land about 10x10 feet at the back. I used to plant everything there and watch them grow by myself - peanuts, corn, long beans, hibiscus... I tied sticks together using the knots I learnt as a Girl Guide for crawling plants like the beans or ladies fingers. I must have been in secondary school then.

Broken Glass

2010-12-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

We had a settee set that came with a glass coffee table and side tables. Mom probably didn't know better not to have glass stuffs around with two rascals constantly biting each other's tail. One of those days, it must have been a hit and run situation - I hit you, you run after me and try reciprocate. While weaving through the living room, I can't remember how I landed on the glass side table and the next thing I know, pieces of thick glass shattered across the hallway. Thank God no one was hurt.

Ashtrays

2010-12-04T10:38:00.000-08:00

Talking about ashtrays reminds me of some in our collection. There was a heavy crystal one about seven inches in diameter.

Then there was a barrel ashtray with a depressor on top which looks like this one but instead of the silver bottom, it is in the shape of a beer barrel. Must have gotten it free from drinking being a loyal customer. The ash is flicked on the top and with a single press, the top goes down spinning the ashes into the container below.

There was also one made of fake marble with a lion (or maybe a horse) on top somewhat like this one except that it is white. The lion sits on a lid to the fake marble container below.

I was often asked to empty the ashtrays and hated the task as it meant coming in close contact to the revolting smell of stale smoke and ashes.

I wonder though if these ashtrays are still lying around somewhere in the house since Dad had to quit a few years back.

Couch

2010-12-04T10:06:00.000-08:00

We had changed our furniture, particularly the living room couch a few times during our stay there the last almost thirty years. There is a particular couch which has a connecting corner so I guess it was the 'L' shape couch of its time. Its material is made from what resembles tweed and is a light brownish grey colour. The connecting corner was also the side table with a glass top used to place the peanuts munched during TV time or for Dad to flick his ashes into the ashtray. So far, I have not seen anything like that before anywhere else.

Barbie

2010-12-03T23:27:00.000-08:00

Toy Story's Barbie has a more posh metallic leotard

I was probably in primary school and the peer pressure got to me. Well, a little. All my good friends had at least one Barbie doll then. I supposed I had wished I had one too but I also don't remember minding not having one.

One of those days, Mom and I went shopping in one of the popular malls then called Super Kinta which has since closed down and is now a market place! Anyway, Mom was trying to get me some clothes and I kept drifting away to the Barbie corner while Mom browsed. After a few times more disappearance, Mom finally turned up by my side and asked if I wanted one too. I was surprised as I really didn't expect to be getting one as they were really expensive! She asked which one did I want and I chose the one which was costs the least, the aerobic Barbie (coincidentally that is the same one picked and featured in Toy Story 3!), priced around RM25 or RM50. Twenty years ago, that is a lot of money for a doll. Although it is one of the simplest Barbie dolls around, I really treasured it.

It is probably still hiding somewhere in a shoebox (her bed) in my cupboard along with two other Barbies I bought myself along the way.

Travel Time

2010-12-03T16:53:00.000-08:00

We used to drive a few hours from my hometown to the capital city during the school holidays to visit my cousins. During these trips, Mom will come up with games to keep us entertained during the three hour long journey. I remember looking all around and trying to spot the right object for 'I spy with my little eye, something that starts with the letter, ?'. Dad ALWAYS gets it right and it used to amazed me thinking that he is SO smart.

It is also through trips like these that I learn new things like the word 'mirage'. How cool is that.

Alarm Clock

2010-12-02T18:15:00.000-08:00

I might as well put this one up since it blasted me while writing the other posts.

I might have been 5 or 6 years old? I had a little modern vintage looking alarm clock that mom bought me. You had to wind the dials to keep the clock going and adjust the time. I must have gotten frustrated trying to do so and just threw the clock on the bed which caused it to bounce off onto the floor and break. I wailed from the landing upstairs. Dad was watching TV downstairs and came up to see what the commotion was about. I told him the clock was broken between sobs and he just gently consoled me. Somehow with no assurance of getting it fix, I felt better although still very upset.

Bath Time

2010-12-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

Unlike nowadays, dads of my generation usually took a step back when it comes to childcare. That was no exception with Dad. On this rare occasion when Dad was looking after me, I remembered having a bath but I can't remember where. It was very likely in our own bathroom with previously white square tiles, a corner tub for storage of water and a metal shower head. To be honest, the only thing I remember is Dad asking me to spit the water from out from my mouth and I did as he said so but I had spat it where I was standing up so the contents went straight onto my body. Dad then told me to lean forward next time so I won't be spitting on myself.

Family Time

2010-12-02T17:57:00.000-08:00

I had lots of blasts recently but I will start with the one that came last night. While having dinner with dear hubby (DH) and my little one (LO), we were thanking God for dinners together as a family. I reflected that I didn't get many chances to have dinners with my own family before. Mom used to work and rarely cooked. The few times she made an attempt to cook, she will be on the phone numerous times to try and get Dad to get home from the pub for dinner. Most times, the phone conversation ended up with the slamming of the phone. Come to think of it, if we do make it to the dinner table altogether all four of us, Dad would probably already have had some intake of alcohol.

Although the circumstances have changed now, Mom and Dad, whether they like it or not, have most meals together and I am glad we are able to share some meals together with them and will be back for most festive occasions and events such as birthdays to celebrate as a family.