Space Hopper

December 2, 2024.Reading time 6 minutes.

She had me at the opening paragraph. ‘The loss of my mother is like missing a tooth: an absence I can feel at all times, but one I can hide as long I keep my mouth shut. And, so I rarely talk about her.’ Helen Fisher’s Space Hopper resonated with me. The book is about […]

Almost a year on

November 25, 2024.Reading time 6 minutes.

Almost a year has passed. Last Saturday was brother number 1’s ‘Thevasam.’ The first anniversary prayers, to observe his passing, based on the Indian almanac. I remember clearly – Tuesday, December 5, 2023. Sister number 3 and I had visited him in his home. As we were about to leave, despite the pain and discomfort […]

Keeping in touch

November 11, 2024.Reading time 6 minutes.

I met up with seven school mates a fortnight ago. One of them lives in England, and it was her ‘Balik Kampung,’ the reason for the get together. Our collective home town/kampung is Alor Setar, Kedah. We went to the same primary and secondary school until form five – St. Nicholas Convent (as did sisters’ […]

Deepavali 2024

November 4, 2024.Reading time 6 minutes.

Last Thursday was Deepavali 2024. The first without my mum and brother number 1. There’s a photo of the two of them smiling whilst sitting on my mum’s blue sofa, taken last Deepavali. Each with an oxygen cannula attached for easier breathing. I never thought or didn’t let myself think that it would/could be my […]

Still in England

October 21, 2024.Reading time 6 minutes.

I didn’t know what a trolleybus was. A tram yes, but not a trolleybus. The Trolleybus Weekend was brother-in-law number 3’s suggestion, an avid steam engine enthusiast. A good suggestion, it was. More so as it was conveniently held in Carlton Corville, a town south of Great Yarmouth – the seaside resort where my mum-in-law, […]

England

October 7, 2024.Reading time 6 minutes.

England has always been and still is a special place/destination for me. Weirdly, when I was growing up in Alor Setar, I used to either dream or imagine about sycamore trees in England. Yes, weird. Why? Because I didn’t know what a sycamore tree was or looked like. And, I didn’t know what England was […]

Silent generation

September 9, 2024.Reading time 6 minutes.

My mum was 28 years old when she had me. A generation apart, based roughly on a 20-year time interval. She and I were from different generations, and we were different. But not so dissimilar that we didn’t see eye to eye and/or were embroiled in constant arguments. No, not at all. She was […]

Sit. Stand. Balance.

September 2, 2024.Reading time 6 minutes.

I fell off while standing on the ledge of a drain. This happened a couple of weeks ago near Corus Hotel. It was raining. I had already climbed over the drain and was on the ledge when I noticed a puddle of water where my foot/feet would invariably land, if I walked on. As I […]

That’s life

August 19, 2024.Reading time 6 minutes.

Today is three months since my mum passed. I miss her. The previous Sunday, my husband and I went to see my mum at her final resting place, with her new headstone. It was erected on the Wednesday before. That was her wish/decision. To be buried. To have the customary final rites performed for her. […]

Time or me …

August 12, 2024.Reading time 6 minutes.

It looked like a ghost town. Dark. Doors shuttered. Quiet. There was barely anyone around. My husband and I walked around and looked for places that were open. It was, after all, 7.30pm on a Saturday. Time for dinner, yes. We found three outlets that were operating. Number one served food, and the club’s band […]