my mom's 'birthday' - 16 september


my siblings' children decided to celebrate their ah ma's 85th birthday on sunday, 16 september. (the same day that the minister mentor celebrated his birthday at raffles hotel.) i was told it was initiated by cindy chiang. we do not know her actual birth date and choice of a sunday was more out of convenience as it is the day we normally gather at my third sister's place at upper serangoon. my mother stays with my fourth sister most of the time.

when i checked with my sister, she told me that the celebration was from lunch to dinner. we decided to drop in for lunch. the lift broke down after i had used it. the others who came after me had to use the stairs.

alvin and three of his medical coursemates were having a game of mahjong. i teased my mother, saying that she should have picked up mahjong, then she would be able to recall our names. my aged mother is afflicted with dementia; she can recognise faces but cannot remember names.

it was a pot luck kind of party, each of my sisters contributed some items. my 1st sister cooked ngoh hiang and bought a braised duck. there were popiahs and some fried stuff, which i had for my lunch. my brother's contribution was the 'siew tor' - the traditional chinese birthday paus.

rarely see my mother smile - must be extremely happy that her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren remember her birthday. she is happy whenever she sees the whole 'clan' under one roof.