心情沮丧 feeling down and out lately

自从母亲过逝后，心情有点暗淡，总觉得日子过得有点累。

往往在下班后，把车子停在住宅小区的停车场时，便会不自然的浮起浓浓的睡意；暂时紧闭双眼，不知不觉的尽然堕入梦乡。又在不期然间醒来时，有点不知所措，刹那间忘了自己身在何处。也许是晚上睡眠不足的缘故吧？

所幸还有自己喜欢的工作来“打发”时间。不然不知该如何是好！

My mother's passed on 1 month ago. Ever since returning to Singapore after completing the funeral ritual in Nibong Tebal, I felt kind of down and out lately.

Fortunately, my passion for work is still strong. That really keeps me going!

Yes, I am sad that my mother has left us for good. On the other hand, it may also be a blessing that she departed peacefully, without much sufferings. No doubt, she was still bedridden from her neurological disorder. But she left us after her bed sores had healed, and urinary catheter removed. She might have some swallowing dysfunction, but she was still able to take food orally. She was still able to recognise people and converse (albeit in a very soft voice) till the day she departed.

Most importantly, she passed on peacefully at home!

In memory of my mother 忆亡母

My mother passed on peacefully in her sleep, in the early morning of 3 April 2024. I just arrived at Lhasa the night before, after travelling 21 hours in the overnigh train from Xining.

I received a call from my elder sister at around 7am+, alerting me of the news. I was stunned momentarily. Subsequently, I called the tour agent who helped to organize the Tibet trip to book urgent flights to Penang the next day.

She managed to get flights arranged, flying from Lhasa to Chengdu at 8 am, then transferred to another 2 flights (from Chengdu to Guangzhou, and then flying to Penang subsequently). Also made a last minute booking of rental car to drive from Penang Airport to Nibong Tebal.

By the time I reached Nibong Tebal, it was already 11pm. 

母亲这几年的健康情况每况愈下，已经无法攒着拐杖走动，只能整天躺在床上歇息睡觉。眼睛也一直闭着，难以睁开。所发出的声音，也往往相当脆弱。

不过偶尔会突然睁大眼睛，声音也蛮“响亮”。

一年前，因为长时间卧躺床上，没有及时反转身体，导致脊椎与臀部，长了几个又深又大的褥疮，经过好几个月的料理，上个月才完全康复。但也在过去4个月，吞咽功能有些失调，导致连续患上急性肺炎两次，得入院就医。

也多亏家里又我姐与女佣帮忙照顾，母亲才不至于被送去老人院生活。

我们兄弟姐妹们也明白，已经是86高龄的母亲，留在这世上的时日，可能已不多了。

3月中回老家祭拜父亲，回新加坡那天，母亲突然发烧，临时给她服上家里尚存留的抗生素。后来与家人联系，得知已经没有在发烧，一切情况稳定。

万万也想不到，在抵达拉萨游玩的第二天，我姐在早上7点左右，便打电话通知我母亲去世的噩耗。当时有点懵了，但静下心来后，便赶忙安排飞回老家奔丧的事项。

隔天辗转乘搭3趟飞机，终于在晚上11点左右，抵达老家。

灵堂

As far as I can remember, my mother is a hard working women.

She had been helping my father in his food stall when my siblings and I were in primary school.

She started off in helping in preparing the ingredients for noodles. Then, she branched off to sell chicken rice on her own.

I was amazed at how she was able to hold on to the heated metal bowl containing cooked rice with her bare fingers --> it was very hot. For a moment, I thought she must have mastered the skill of 铁砂掌。

She hardly scold her children. I was scolded once in my primary school days for making a random comment of "what if the ship that my maternal grandfather took to visit his relatives in China in 70s were to come into problem in the middle of the sea", and a few days later some rumours surfaced of  problem with the ship my grandfather was travelling... but luckily, it was just a rumour, and my maternal grandfather returned safely a few weeks later!

我双亲都是苦命人。

我父亲自小是一名小贩。但他的厨艺很好，所以生意也搞得蛮不错。当年若有人提起高渊公市“阿贵”， 无人不晓。

我母亲也在我们兄弟姐妹们还在念小学时便到公市档口帮忙。起初是帮忙添加干面果条等的配料，后来自己买起鸡饭来。鸡饭的销量也蛮不错！

他在30多年前，突然因为小腿骨折而行动不便，有后来因为帕金森病症而行动更加辛苦。起初还能运用拐杖缓缓步行，但在冠状疫情那几年，慢慢的恶化，过去2-3年，已经无法行动。

我们很少替母亲拍照。幸好我的表弟保留了不少照片，以供回忆！

迂回路线 meandering road

人生的道路，若直通无阻，一帆风顺，那该多好！

可是，人生旅途，令人心烦的事，十有八九。成长的过程，往往得在迂回的路上缓缓而行，难免会走上不少冤枉路。

俗语说，只要我们能持之以恒，不要气馁，往往能冲破故障，抵达成功的终点。

The road ahead may be meandering. 

But don't despair. Press on.... Success will eventually follow!

过界 venture beyond boundary

长听人说人要知足，不可过界。人心不足蛇吞象，往往会伤了自己。

但也有人说，若没有非分之想，便没有突破与改进。

我觉得，心里存有梦想，是无可厚非的。梦想是一个推动人向前迈进的力量。有梦想而没有动力，往往便会受困于象牙塔内。

Was enchanted by the view of plants growing beyond artificial bounday imposed by the fence. The plants were sprawling their branches and leaves heartily, without any fear or worries.

Perhaps, we should not confine ourselves to our current way of living. Venturing beyond physical and mental boundary may open our eyes to new wonders surrounding us!

Impromptu trip in Penang

I had to fly back to Penang from Tibet on 3-4-2024 to attend my mother's wake. My mother passed on suddenly in her sleep on 2-4-2024.

Cheng Yee had also flown in from Melbourne to send her grandmother off.

The entire funeral rituals were completed on 6-4-2024. My mother was put to rest next to my father in Taiping. 

We had some spare time before the next ritual on the 7th day of death (on 8-4-2024). Since CY had not been to Penang since her primary school days (over 17 years ago), I decided to bring her for a short tour of Penang. 

Customary practice forbids us from visiting any temples in the first 7th day of demise of parents. Hence, major tourist attractions such as KEK LOK SI @ Air Itam, and Snake temple @ Bayan Lepas are out.

Decided to opt for - 1. Frog Hill and 2. Kampong Agong (both are located in Seberang Perai)

                                3. 姓周桥 Clan of Zhou Jetty @ Chew's Jetty and 4. Esplanade (which has just been opened recently after multimillion dollars revamp).

It was a very very very hot day, thanks to the El Nino effect that has hit South East Asia badly!

FROG Hill

Followed the Google Map guidance- it led us to a small kampung, but the gate and road to the destination was closed for traffic. Guided by the local to go by another route. It was bumpy ride on unpaved road. Fortunately, it is a sunny hot day - the entire road would have been muddy with a lot of potholes in rainy days (and the Proton Saga sedan that I rented would never be able to make it).

And the view from the top of elevation was fantastic!

View from top of elevation

have to climb up this slope to reach the high elevation for 360' view... it is an easy climb

The unpaved roads from where we climbed up the elevation

I presumed this is a good place for some simple hiking in the morning.

Kampong Agong

A theme park highlighting Kampong stay, with some paddy field and Instagram-friendly huts /signposts. Entry fees of RM 10 for residents.

After this, we drove to Penang Island via the old Penang Bridge. 

Clan of Zhou Jetty / Chew's Jetty 姓周桥

I remembered seeing the old jetty next to Ferry Terminal during my teenage years. It has since been revamped into a tourist spots over the last 2-3 decades.

There are still residents staying there. The main street is lined by stalls selling souvernirs / drinks on both sides. Many tourists were there, snapping pictures along the way.

The main entrance; it's free entrance

Wall murals @  Georgetown, World Heritage Site

A visit to Penang will not be complete without taking photos of the iconic wall murals!

Some other street decors...

 

Old buildings, antique shops...

And of course, Penang Fried Koay Teow 槟城炒果条！

ESPLANADE

It was scorching hot. But I guessed we just had to soldier on...

Before wrapping up the Penang trip, I drove along Air Itam Rd, passing by my old secondary school 钟灵中学 Chung Ling High School. Stopped over at a food court at the round about near Penang Hill for dinner. Drove back to Nibong Tebal via the new bridge.