Crabcrableg's Encounters: May 2009

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Mother's Day Gifts

Last Sunday was Mother's Day. It has been 4 years since I am a mother but every year is the same except for this year, there is a difference. Since Lunz has started schooling, he brought back some art crafts which he did at school. To celebrate Mother's Day this year, he gave me a card and a steel container with a yellow glittering butterfly on top of it. The butterfly looked pretty thou plus there were sweets in the container. Hahaha...that was very sweet considering it was the first time I received Mother's Day gifts from him.

Monday, May 11, 2009

A Tribute to My Beloved Jia Jia

Last weekend was one of the saddest moment of my life. I lost my Jia Jia (grandmother in Hakka). She left us on May 7, 2009 at 12 noon after struggling much with illnesses at her old age. She was 86 years old when she left. I still remembered a day before, May 6, all of us were present at her bedside to see her because we knew she will leave us anytime. I even planned to see her again after work on May 7, but, little did I knew that I didn't even have the chance anymore. I remembered she was lying motionlessly on the bed while I was busy wiping the ants away from all over her body. I have no idea where the ants came from and they were crawling around her body. I had to wipe the ants away using a wet cloth and as I did, my heart ached because she was unconscious, at her final stage that she didn't even realized ants were crawling everywhere on her body.

The only movement I saw was her chest rising up and down, breathing slowly. I broke into tears twice that night knowing the truth that her time and life will come to an end soon. The next news I heard from the following day at work was.......she had passed away. Mum was sobbing badly asking me to take leave and rushed back home immediately. I cried while I drove all the way back, I cried when I saw her enlarged display picture during the funeral at evening, I cried when I saw her laying inside the coffin, I cried when the Taoist masters performed the prayers, I cried when they sealed the coffin....I can't remember how many times have I cried....everyone around me were crying badly as well especially my mum and brothers.

I knew we should be happy for she lived a long life. Hardly anyone now a days survived as long as she did. But the thing I knew was...I was not happy because my conscience was guilty. I was guilty because I wasn't there for her most of the time until now, when I had lost her only I realized. I don't know how the others felt but my conscience pricked me. When she was very ill, nobody wanted to look after her except for my second aunt who was not married and my 90 years old grandfather. They were the only ones who looked after my Jia Jia till she passed away. I only visited her occasionally but never forked out the time to really looked after her. Neither did the family, cousins and relatives around me. Why were all the cryings at the funeral then?? When she was alive, nobody wants her around. Do you think all the regrets, cryings and screaming for her will bring her back to life or turn back time??

The answer is NO...and I hate myself for that....

Worst still, her beloved son (my uncle) did not wanted to carry her back to his home realizing her time was near because they were afraid that she would die in their house. All the while her only wish was to go back and die at her son's house. Chinese rules are like that, the elderly has to pass away at the eldest son's house. Then only she will leave in peace because her wish is fulfilled. How heartless can the son be considering all the love and efforts the mother provided to raise him? I despised them for that!

All left were just memories. My Jia Jia was very closed to us especially during times when we were still kids, she looked after us a lot. Even when we grew up, the bond was still there. During times before she was ill, I bought a lot of food such as milo and biscuits for her occasionally, she made ribena for me whenever I visited her, she also stuffed some ginseng into my mouth, gave lunlun cans of her 100 plus and biscuits that she stored, gave me some of the fruits that she had cut to eat, supported me in most ways even though she knew I was going to divorce, drove her to the doctor and waited patiently with her, hold my hand tightly during times the doctor checked her and at her final days of life.

That were just a part of our bond in the recent years, not to mention my 27 years of life together with her especially during times when we were young. I admired her openness very much because even though she was an old lady, she supported the fact that I was going to divorce. She never advised me not to do that. She supported me saying that if things were not meant to be, it was not meant to be. She even said lunlun and daddy has a past life's fate that brought them together this life. I still remember all her words. She used to scold me jokingly for studying craps because I didn't understand some of her Hakka language.

How strange the feeling was when that person was no longer there to tell you that?

All I can say is, treasure the people around you. Don't take them for granted. They won't live forever. Even to the day when they are not around anymore, at least you won't live with regret like I do. Because by the time you realized, it will be too late. Don't let your busy life binds you down. Spend time and love no matter how busy you are and you will be grateful that you did.

Although sad and we grieved, but it was a good thing her suffering has finally ended. Jia Jia will be greatly missed and remembered by us. Meanwhile, for now....only time is the best healing medicine.

My Jia Jia and Kung Kung carrying Lunz at his 1 year old birthday bash
Jia Jia...may you rest in peace...

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Sing@pore Trip!

Daddy treated us to a trip last Friday. It was Labour Day and perfect enough for us because we don't have to take leave for the trip. Actually this trip was planned 6 months ago when we stumbled upon cheap cheap air tickets from AirAsia with zero fuel surcharge for return flights. So, the 3 of us cost only RM360. We also booked a hotel and planned out the itinerary for this trip a month before, i.e., in April because we only stayed for one night and wanted to ensure our time was fully utilized. We surveyed many hotels on their pricing and locations. Finally, we decided on Pan Pacific because the hotel was having Supersaver promotion package that will end in May. So, it was just perfect for us. A 5-star hotel for only SGD 198 which was considered cheap for a grand hotel in Singapore. Of course, since it was a promotional price, breakfast was not included.

My parents volunteered to send us to LCCT and they reached our house very early in the morning, about 5am. Silly daddy did not sleep at all. He told me he couldn't sleep. Well, I couldn't be any better also as I only had 3 hours of sleep. Anyway, since we were off for holidays, we wouldn't mind if we didn't have good sleep. The little one slept in the car on the way to the airport. By the time we checked-in at the airport, he was fully energetic. He knew we were going to sit in the aeroplane as I told him before and got pretty excited when he saw aeroplanes on the run way. He was very obedient throughout the journey. He buckled up himself and constantly looking out from the window when the plane took off. He even said OK! when he saw the plane has landed. Maybe he is really a big boy now and is much easier to bring him on trips as he understands most things. Unlike a year ago, when we hit Redang by plane, I had to entertain him most of the time that I really got pretty tired.

We took a cab from Changi Airport to Pan Pacific Hotel, located in the City Hall Suntec area. One look at the hotel, I was like WoW! I have seen KL's 5-stars hotels but nothing were like this. Their hotel was high class with very modernized design. I told daddy, worth your money eh! We are permitted to check in at 9.30 am and it was good because we can rest for a while and I can unload the unnecessary things that I don't have to carry along to Sentosa later. The room was fantastic! The little one was overjoyed especially with the swimming pool's view that he pulled the sofa over facing the glass. His king seat! He jumped on the bed as well. I can see that he enjoyed it very much.

Looking very excited.

I can only noticed his big butt more than the view outside.

Aiya...I packed everything except for our swimwear...

The bed view.

The bathroom view. The little one enjoyed the bathtub a lot and so did daddy! :P

A friend of mine can't believe he is a naughty and witty boy because she said he looks innocent.

Then it was time for us to make a move to Sentosa.

Spectacular view of the hotel floors.

He liked the elevators.

Since it was still early, we couldn't find any restaurants that were opened yet. So, we continued walking all the way to the City Hall MRT station and decided to have our lunch instead in Sentosa.

The City Link Mall. An underground mall which connects you to the MRT Station. I was impressed. I don't see any underground malls with connection to train stations in KL.

We took a train from City Hall to Outram Park and exchanged another train to Harbour Front. From there we walked to the bus station and took a bus for SDG 3 per person to the Sentosa Island. Upon reaching Sentosa, we had our lunch and visited the Underwater World.

Looking at the cylinder tank of fishes.

I like this daddy and son's shot!

He ignored mummy... @_@

Big big fishes seen from the tunnel.

A bunch of big, fat, lazy and sleepy sharks.

A group of j-e-l-l-y-f-i-s-h-y!

Finally....a shot of mummy!

I want to touch the starfish.....touch the starfish........mummy..starfish...starfish...

(I'm starting to see stars above my head already)

After Underwater World, we headed on to watch the dolphins' show but unfortunately by the time we reached the entrance, we were told that we could not make it for the show and have to wait for the following show at 3.30pm. Already feeling very tired, we could not wait until 3.30pm. Considering there was nothing else suitable for the kid to see (because the others were like the beach, butterfly park-not very attractive, insect kingdom, the Merlion), we decided to head back to the city.

We walked and took trains all the way back and it was 3 something when we finally made it back to the hotel. Lunz can still get some sleep on time. We had bath and hopped in to bed by 4.30pm and slept until almost 7pm. After that, we headed out for a night walk around the city as well as to hunt food for our dinner. We had dinner at the underground restaurants, just below the fountain. Amazing place where the whole circular area around the fountain were just restaurants. We had trouble deciding what to eat and finally settled down in a restaurant named, Just Noodles. I ordered a chicken teriyaki ramen while daddy had the chicken herbal soup rice. Delicious....sluuuurrrppppppp!

Waiting for our dinner to be served.

After dinner, we had a walk around the place. Bypassing the famous Wealth Fountain where you can hear songs and see messages dedicated by people displayed across the sprinkled water.

The green lights were actually messages.

A stroll at the park.

The night view of the Singapore Flyer.

A shot with mummy...few kgs more, I don't think I'll be able to carry him.

The following morning, we had breakfast at the Food Republic. A very nice food area with wall paper of shelves and shelves of book, as if you are in a library. I told the little one to grab a book from the wall paper. He was surprised that he couldn't because he thought he saw books but in fact were wall papers. Silly boy....

A shot taken at the Food Republic area

After breakfast, we walked around Marina Square, a shopping mall.

The shops were not yet opened even it was already 10.30 am that time.

I thought you like starfish eh?

He has strong passion for books. Always insisted to go into bookstore when he saw one.

Family photo taken before checking out from the hotel.

We headed early around 1 something to the airport because our flight was 4.10 pm. This was because we would like to hang around the airport and had lunch there. We even walked around the shops. We visited the new Terminal 3 in the Changi Airport. It was huge and extremely new.

Terminal 3, Changi Airport.

They have gardens with living plants in the airport.

Finally, a video of the little one at the play area while we had our lunch. Although the trip was short with just 2 days 1 night, it was indeed a nice and relaxing trip. Plus the little one had so much fun! Thanks daddy! Ermmm....so where is the next destination?? Kekeke...