Induction into induction

February 8, 2021.Reading time 6 minutes.

I finally got myself an induction hob. I have been hob-less since my gas powered stove blew up on me. Even now I shudder at the thought. Expectedly that scary incident has been a little difficult to forget. It was also the reason I took my time to find a replacement. Anything but gas. The […]

My mum’s sous chef

February 1, 2021.Reading time 6 minutes.

I am now my mum’s personal sous chef. Who would have thought? Certainly, not my mum. Not me. Not my husband. He still laughs at my current thrust-upon role. He finds the circumstance-driven transformation rather ironic. I am not at all keen on cooking, especially the savoury stuff. I even have a plaque on my […]

My mum’s fun times

January 18, 2021.Reading time 6 minutes.

I like to learn new things about my mum. I especially like it when I discover some interesting experiences that I can document. I already know the everyday stuff but very little, if any, of the fun and exciting things that she did and/or enjoyed in her younger days. To be honest, I cannot associate […]

Knee pain and the Net

January 11, 2021.Reading time 6 minutes.

A few weeks ago, my mum complained of knee pain. She had difficulty standing up from her toilet seat. She has chronic arthritis and osteoporosis. She aches all over. Her pain is constant. Accentuated by phases of more pain. I was concerned. About the pain. About sitting and walking in her condo. About the possibility […]

Pongal rice, Karthigai and festivals

December 7, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I helped my mum make ‘Sakkarai Pongal’ or Pongal rice last Sunday. Obviously not biased but she does make the tastiest Pongal rice I’ve ever had. This time around, she also got the thumbs-up from my husband, who doesn’t normally like the texture or taste of sweet rice. He likened it to a really delicious version […]

Deepavali 2020

November 9, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

My mum’s most anticipated celebration is happening this Saturday, 14 November. Not easily excitable nor normally demonstrative, this is the only time of year that she’s animated with almost childlike enthusiasm. Deepavali – the Festival of Lights – has always given my mum a sense of joy and excitement. As a child, a wife, mother and […]

Farewell old favourites

October 26, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

First it was Sri Melaka. Our favourite Nyonya restaurant. My husband and I spent many evenings there. In fact, not a week went past without us visiting Sri Melaka. The exception was when we were out of town. And, it was Sri Melaka that we visited when we returned from wherever. Quite longingly, I might […]

Take heed

September 28, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I smelt gas as I walked out of the lift to my condo. I sniffed harder. There was the smell of gas in the air. I walked into our condo and asked my husband if he smelt it. He opened the cupboard that housed the gas tank. Nothing. But the cupboard adjacent to the electric […]

Memory lane

September 21, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

I love my mum. Always have. She turns 87 next Sunday. With her birthday around the corner, I was thinking more about her. As she is now. An old girl. Hearing suspect. Memory failing. Sleepy dopey. Heart and head willing, but body lagging behind. With flashes of determination and stubbornness. And, as she was many […]

Mothagam

August 31, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

August 22 was Vinayagar Chathurti. My mum was fretting leading up to the big day for Lord Ganesha. She usually gets excited when there is a celebration on the horizon, particularly Deepavali. But this time she seemed concerned with her ‘To-do’ list. Shopping, cleaning the altar, sprucing up the condo and especially making ‘Mothagam’ or […]