Dressed to the nines

My dad and I put together bags of clothing for donation, and in the bags was a long coat of my mom's, pictured right. My dad had told me about it a few months back.

My mom made this coat. Yes, one of her many talents. Waaaay back when my dad was studying in the States, and before any of us were born. My mom was really, really excited: they were going to go to Las Vegas. So my dad went with her to pick out a pattern, and my mom worked on this project for many nights, all spread out on the kitchen floor. (And this would've been after a long day of waitressing!)

And then she wore it once. The night they went to a show in Vegas. And it's been in the closet for the 30+ years since.

The coat is beautifully made, with lining and everything. The pattern is a little loud for my tastes, but I'm sure it was perfect back in the '70s. It doesn't fit me anyway (I'm a little broader in the shoulders and back)....

I hope that someone else will enjoy it, because it was made with a lot of TLC. :)

我和我爸整理了幾袋舊衣服，準備要捐給慈善團體。 其中的袋子裡面有我媽的一件長外套。 我爸幾個月前跟我講了它的故事。

那件大衣是我媽親手做的。 手藝很好吧。 很久以前，我爸在美國讀書的時候，我們都還沒出生。 我媽非常的興奮：他們有計畫要去拉斯維加斯。 我爸帶她去挑紙樣，然後我媽連續好幾夜撲著廚房的地板在做她的project。(而且是餐廳裡工作了一天之後！)

結果她那件大衣只穿了一次。 就他們去看show的那一夜。 從此就吊在衣櫥，吊了三十多年。

那件大衣做得很漂亮，還有內襯喔。 花樣當然比較鮮亮，但它是經典70年代的顏色。 不過我穿不下；肩膀背部比較我媽寬 (更不用說三十多年前的她！)。

希望別人能好好享受，因為那件大衣可是我媽用很多愛心做出來的。 :)

Home. And yet....

I arrived back in Vancouver on Thursday night, closing a chapter of my life, and starting a new one.

It's funny, because it doesn't feel like I'm coming home. In fact, it feels like I left home. The wonderful friends and "family" I built up over the nearly 4 years, my brothers and new sis-in-law... all left behind. :(

Everything I'm coming back to... is different. So, in a way, it almost feels like I'm coming back to nothing, and have to start again.

*sigh*

以前回家的時候總是有回家的感覺。 這次，回國．．． 卻沒有回家的感覺，而是離開家的感覺。 在台灣四年來認識了很多親戚，朋友，同事．．． 成為了一個新家庭。 能認識這麼多優秀特別的好朋友，而受到他們的照顧與關懷，真是我的福氣。 真的很捨不得；回到家一直難過，超級想念他們。 =_=

咳．．． 只能掛在MSN上等他們上線，保持一點點的聯絡．．．。

In Loving Memory

Excitable and Humorous
Everyone who has met my mother undoubtedly knows her for her playful energy and zest for life. Indeed, Mom was more excited about my first date, about my prom, and convocation than even I was. And she loved to hear about any new activities I was trying – hiking, swimming, rock-climbing. I could always count on her to start deliberating about what I would be wearing to a special occasion months in advance. Sometimes I would find an outfit already laid out for me. Thankfully she was a smart shopper, with impeccable taste.

My brothers and I would often kid around with her at the dinner table. Mom would raise a hand threateningly, but graciously accept the high-fives we offered instead. Occasionally she would retaliate successfully with a well-placed pinch on the thigh... but it was always delivered with a smile. (Though, not necessarily always received with a smile.)


我喜歡妳以前煮的菜
我母親都為家人著想。 這幾年我爸爸很注意健康，也對煮法的要求提高：不能太鹹，不能太油，各個方面的營養要足夠，等等。 我前幾個月跟媽媽講電話，談搬回溫哥華的事。 我說我想念媽媽煮的菜．．．。 隔了幾秒鐘，我又補充了一下："我想念妳以前做的菜。 New cooking 一點都不想念。" 媽媽就笑著說："好啦好啦，趕快回來啦，媽媽煮好吃的給妳吃。"


Favourite Child
Her love for the family was apparent in all she did. We each had a part in her heart: Dad, her partner in life; Ben is the oldest child in the family, Kev the youngest, I the only daughter. We were all special to her. She treated each of us children like her favourite. Mom would slip me earrings that she found to match my dress, she would pay for a jacket that my brother had his eye on, other little tokens of motherly love. She loved us equally, each in our own special way, each her favourite child.

But deep down inside, we all know who her reeeeal favourite was....


最後一聲 "我愛妳"
這三年多，孩子們都在遙遠的台灣工作，生活。 因為工作時間長，活動充實，我就比較少打電話。 媽媽都會哀怨女兒怎麼沒打電話，怎麼都不想媽媽呢；她一直羨幕別人家的孩子常常跟父母聯絡。 去年，得知同事的父親過世後，我就養成了一個習慣：每次講完電話都會跟媽媽說一聲 "我愛妳"。 無論那通電話聊到什麼，氣憤如何，我最後會喊一句："媽，我愛妳"．．． 免得哪一天後悔沒跟她多說了幾次。

媽媽往生的那一天，我在上班接到爸爸的電話。 我父親把電話放在媽媽的耳邊，讓我們跟她告別。 我那時震驚中，只知道跟她說："媽，我們一定會讓妳驕傲。 媽，我愛妳。"

所以，在今天的最後．．． 我也要跟媽說一聲："媽，我愛妳。"


Mom, I love you.

We Are Family

I have a sister! =D Almost.

A couple days ago, on her birthday, my brother popped the question, and she said yes! She said yes, she said yes, she said yes! =D

So yesterday, I left work early (way earlier than usual, anyway) and booted up to Taipei for a surprise party for M at the Duckbill darts bar.

I had one Long Island iced tea. And that was it.

Omigosh, it was loaded.

I'm not an alcoholic, but it's not like I haven't had drinks before. But this Long Island iced tea was seriously loaded. And it was with great effort that I walked straight. I'm not sure I succeeded. But yeah, that one drink did me in.

I had 4 glasses of water after showering and zonked out nearing 3am. So this morning, I'm in pretty good shape. =)

So. A family engagement, and a strong Long Island iced tea. Great Friday. =)