Category Archives: Flashbacks

Belgium, Events, Flashbacks

Babyborrel

Yesterday afternoon, D and I went to the baby shower of our next door neighbour. I have lost count of how many baby showers D and I have been to since we moved into this neighbourhood in 2010. The baby from my first babyborrel is now a teenage girl of thirteen!

At Raf’s baby shower, neighbours current and past grouped together as usual. We drank, took photos, chatted, laughed, ate appetizers and hamburgers, and drank some more. The weather was gorgeous, the location lovely, food and drinks were in abundance, and we were amongst people we know and care about.

Standard
Events, Flashbacks, Food & Drinks, Jibber Jabber

Unlocked Cars

In the wee hours of Sunday, a few cars in the neighbourhood have been broken into. Sunglasses, a wallet, and etc have been stolen. Well, what a beginning to Mother’s Day for some of our neighbours… to have to call the police and probably kicking themselves for not locking up the vehicles or leaving valuables in the cars. I did not realise until yesterday that there are still people who do not lock their cars. I have only seen this in Kalamazoo in the 90s!

After that bit of morning drama, things went calm for me. I spent the day doing a bit of admin work, a bit of finance, and then some gardening. Trench composting my kitchen scraps, and opening up a new ‘composting pit’. I got this down to an art by now. 🙂

This Monday afternoon, D and I ran errands. First, we bought a crate of beers and some. Then we dropped by Molecule so that I may pick up a Too Good To Go surprise I have ordered in the morning. But before that, we went to check the price of the TV we bought a month ago. Still the same. D bought a belated Mother’s Day bouquet before we headed over to the cafeteria. I got a full meal of soup, fish rolls, mashed potatoes, cooked vegetables, a piece of cake, plus a crêpe. What a deal!

Last thing we did before heading home was to buy potatoes from the potato farmer across the street. These potatoes cost only €7.50, and will last a month. Another good deal.

Standard
Flashbacks, Malaysia, Simplify

Laam Zam & See Hum

This morning, I completed a sewing project which I took on a few weeks ago. My objective was to turn the torn guest room comforter into a bolster (laam zam in Cantonese). I do not have need for a laam zam, nor any sort of pillows, with the exception of my baby pillow; but it sure was satisfying to be able to re-purpose an old item and turned it into something new, with the use of a sewing machine and some planning… 🙂

This evening, I have cockles (see hum in Cantonese) for dinner. According to Wikipedia, this bivalve is eaten all over the world. I was mildly amused that Wikipedia mentioned cockles in its Cantonese name but not in Mandarin. Maybe it is more of a Southern Chinese thing? I remember the older generation boiling and consuming cockles (blood cockles) as late evening snacks, but never saw it as a dish at the dinner table. My last memories of see hum before this evening’s dinner was of my college years in West Malaysia. Roaming the streets of Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur and Pulau Pinang with friends, in search of the best Char kway teow.

Standard
Flashbacks, Health

Wined, Dined & Scanned

I have not blogged since last Wednesday. But I am doing so now, five days later…

The above is a photo I snapped of my lovely dinner, when D and I went out eating last Thursday evening. Shortly after I began eating, my world turned alarmingly noisy, suffocatingly warm and darker. I then made the big mistake of standing up and heading to the toilet in search for some calm.

The next thing I know, I was laying flat on the cold tiled floors in the hallway!

I vaguely remember being led out of the restaurant, sitting in an ambulance, and then ending up in the emergency room of AZ Groeninge!

A total of six people took care of me. I was kept for observation for a few hours, my blood drawn, my head scanned, and my vitals checked. In the end, I need not stay overnight at the hospital. *phew*

Right now, I am here, breathing, writing this blogpost, and determine to rest and recover.

Standard
Being Human, Flashbacks

Pink Tokens

Flanders’ favourite weatherman Frank Deboosere presented his very last weather forecast yesterday evening. His retirement from a 36 year old career was celebrated with high praises and thunderous applause at the VRT building. The daily TV program Iedereen Beroemd was wiped off the schedule to make space for an interview and overview of Frank’s life and career. What a send off!

Frank’s busy career did not prevent him from spending time with the weaker members of the society. He has dedicated time and energy to cancer patients and old folks alike. In the interview, he mentioned that He carries a roze jeton in his wallet, something gifted to him many years ago, from a girl who did not survive cancer.

Roze jeton…

I have my share of pink tokens, items that I carry with me, moving from one continent to the next. The photo below shows my grandma’s toiletry bag and a greeting card that I meant to send to Catherine. For decades, that worn out toiletry bag was a constant amongst grandma’s possession till her death in 2015. Catherine did not survive uterine cancer and passed away in 2003.

The pink tokens of life. Remembrance of lives lost. Reminders to laugh, love and live.

Standard
Flashbacks, Jibber Jabber, Travels

Globe-trotting Skirt

This skirt was given to me by my mother when I went back for holidays in Malaysia many years ago. She has worn it when she was a student in teacher’s college and when she taught school in later years.

The cloth was from a textile store in the United Kingdom. It was a gift from my uncle to my mother when he returned home after his studies in England. My late grandmother promptly turned the cloth into this lovely skirt.

A few years ago, I removed the elastic waistband that grandma put in, and sewed a zipper onto the side of the skirt. The addition of the zipper and my occasional wearing of the skirt are my contributions to the tales of this globe-trotting piece of clothing.

Standard
Being Human, Belgium, Flashbacks, Malaysia

Stand Up

One of my favourite Flemish columnists wrote about a bus ride he took not too long ago. Aside from the usual rants about smart phones, headphones and how distanced we are towards each other; he wrote about not giving up his seat for an older woman who seemed to be his mother’s age. He stayed seated and looked away instead, out of fear that he might offend the woman with his action. And maybe embarrassing himself? Maar allez…

I only know of a public bus system when I went to upper secondary school in Kota Kinabalu. The buses were often packed with young people going to school or work. I do not recall having to, or seeing anyone giving up their seats for anyone else, simply because such occasions did not occur during my time there.

Many years ago in Kortrijk, I was accompanying a pregnant friend to the hospital. When an old lady boarded the full bus, I stood up and gestured her to my seat. The woman sat down without much ado, as I continued talking to my friend. For someone who thinks too much, most of the time, that instance was not it. It was a no-brainer, no big deal, just a miniscule act of decency.

Standard