Happy (Cutie) Pi Day Everyone!
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Monday, March 9, 2015
Family & Friends - (Part 5 of Many...)
Our grandmother was a pretty amazing woman and continues to inspire & awe me today. She was widowed at the age of 32 with 5 kids, 7 years and younger. (As the youngest in her family, our mom was only a few months old when her father passed away.) Perhaps it is worth reminding that welfare/social services were not nearly as widespread/encompassing back then as they are now - (granted, we arguably still have a longs ways to go) - and that's reflected even more so in Asian countries where there is still a very strong cultural belief that poverty should be one's own business and it's up to the family to take care of each other when one of its members is going through a rough period.
Needless to say times were pretty rough and as a single woman raising a family in Taiwan during the 1960s, I can't even begin to imagine where/how our grandmother (or 婆) was able to find the strength to carry on. But she learned how to manage and eventually was able to reunite all her children together and provide them with a commendably indulgent and happy life.
While I am fortunate to have some remembrance of our grandmother, Liliane was only 6 months old when our grandma passed away. In reading one of Liliane's diary entries, she mentioned how she wished she could have had some memories of her own with our grandma. (She is our 婆's youngest grandchild.) Knowing that my sister is now reunited with our grandma again has been a great source of peace and comfort these past few months and I'm sure wherever they are, they're busy creating many happy memories together...
Needless to say times were pretty rough and as a single woman raising a family in Taiwan during the 1960s, I can't even begin to imagine where/how our grandmother (or 婆) was able to find the strength to carry on. But she learned how to manage and eventually was able to reunite all her children together and provide them with a commendably indulgent and happy life.
While I am fortunate to have some remembrance of our grandmother, Liliane was only 6 months old when our grandma passed away. In reading one of Liliane's diary entries, she mentioned how she wished she could have had some memories of her own with our grandma. (She is our 婆's youngest grandchild.) Knowing that my sister is now reunited with our grandma again has been a great source of peace and comfort these past few months and I'm sure wherever they are, they're busy creating many happy memories together...
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| Pictures dated 3/9/1994 - 21 years ago from today |
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Family & Friends - (Part 4 of Many...)
One of the reasons I was so determined to publish the Teddy Bear Day post, even though it was a week late, is because I thought it made for a nice segue to this next Family & Friends post that I wanted to share. (Of course, I had intended to have this post published in a much timelier fashion...)
Meet, our Aunt Rujuan (or 如娟阿姨).
Aunt Rujuan is definitely the relative we got to see the most of over the years. She came to visit us both in Naperville as well as in Tokyo and we took several trips together including to Beijing (where the photo from above was taken) and Las Vegas. When we visited her place in Taiwan, my sister was always very enchanted by the low-ceilinged second floor space she had in her apartment and I know Liliane was very pleased that she was only person who could go upstairs without having to bend over at the time. (Obviously the height situation changed over the years...)
Meet, our Aunt Rujuan (or 如娟阿姨).
She is our mom's third older sister - (the one closest to her in age) - and the two of them spent the most time together growing up.
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| May-ling on the left, Rujuan on the right |
Aunt Rujuan is definitely the relative we got to see the most of over the years. She came to visit us both in Naperville as well as in Tokyo and we took several trips together including to Beijing (where the photo from above was taken) and Las Vegas. When we visited her place in Taiwan, my sister was always very enchanted by the low-ceilinged second floor space she had in her apartment and I know Liliane was very pleased that she was only person who could go upstairs without having to bend over at the time. (Obviously the height situation changed over the years...)
如娟阿姨 was with us the time I had the not-so-ingenious idea of trying to walk to Meijer from our house at around 7pm at night, just when the sun was about to set. We actually made it quite far, all the way to Weber Rd., before our mom & dad picked us up from the side of the road. One of the memories 如娟阿姨 had to share about Liliane was how she used to (purposely) run ahead of us while we were out on one of our summer walks and fart in front of us because she knew we found it funny. (如娟阿姨 was in on our fart joke humor.) I personally have no solid recollection of this and I'm sure this isn't a story Liliane would've wanted the general public to have access to but, there it is.
Love you, 如娟阿姨! Thank you for all the happy memories and for being there for us when we need you...
Perhaps, it's also fitting that I'm posting this on International Women's Day, as 如娟阿姨 has always been very pro-Girl Power.
Happy International Women's Day!
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
元宵節快樂
Fifteenth day, Lantern Festival
(Traditional Chinese: 元宵節 , Pinyin: yuán xiāo jié, literally: first night festival)
The 15th day marks the first full moon after the Spring Festival and of the New Year, also known as yuán xiāo jié meaning "first night of the full moon". The day is as well known as Lantern Festival day.
Another reunion dinner is held with lanterns and oranges being a large part of the celebrations.
It is customary to eat special sweet dumplings called yuanxiao resembling the shape of the full moon. These round balls are made of glutinous rice flour stuffed with sugar fillings, symbolizing reunion.
(Traditional Chinese: 元宵節 , Pinyin: yuán xiāo jié, literally: first night festival)
The 15th day marks the first full moon after the Spring Festival and of the New Year, also known as yuán xiāo jié meaning "first night of the full moon". The day is as well known as Lantern Festival day.
Another reunion dinner is held with lanterns and oranges being a large part of the celebrations.
It is customary to eat special sweet dumplings called yuanxiao resembling the shape of the full moon. These round balls are made of glutinous rice flour stuffed with sugar fillings, symbolizing reunion.
Yuanxiao are also called tāngyuán (Traditional Chinese: 湯圓, Simplified Chinese: 汤圆 ) or tāngtuán (Traditional Chinese: 湯團, Simplified Chinese: 汤团).
Tāngyuán literally means "round balls in soup", tāngtuán translates to "round dumplings in soup".
Tāngyuán literally means "round balls in soup", tāngtuán translates to "round dumplings in soup".
During this festival lanterns are displayed, at times as lantern fairs, and children are carrying lanterns to temples.
The festival is associated with guiding lost and ill bred evil spirits home, while celebrating and cultivating positive relationship between people, families, nature and the higher beings as they are believed to be responsible for bringing and returning the light each year.
The festival is associated with guiding lost and ill bred evil spirits home, while celebrating and cultivating positive relationship between people, families, nature and the higher beings as they are believed to be responsible for bringing and returning the light each year.
Another legend associates the Lantern Festival with Taoism. Tian Guan is the Taoist 'Ruler of Heaven' and the god responsible for good fortune, bestowing wealth and good luck. His birthday falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. It is said that Tian Guan likes all types of entertainment, so followers prepare various kinds of activities during which they pray for good fortune.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Onesie Love
I know a lot of people have just about had it with winter and are ready to for it to be spring already. But while we still have these cold temperatures around, allow me to extol on another perk that only comes with cooler weather...
I'm not sure when onesies became "cool" again, but I'm pretty sure Liliane was actually ahead of the curve when it came to this particular fashion trend. She had gotten a pink & silver Hello Kitty onesie complete with a kitty-eared hoodie from our mom three Christmases ago, I believe, and she absolutely loved wearing that ensemble.
Sadly, we don't have any pictures of my sister wearing that onesie, but here are a couple of me "modeling" the sweet onesies that I have...
Perhaps as the girl who wished she didn't have to grow up, it is fitting that Liliane left this world wearing that Hello Kitty onesie. Here's to everyone enjoying these final days of onesie weather.
An Homage to Onesies
Sadly, we don't have any pictures of my sister wearing that onesie, but here are a couple of me "modeling" the sweet onesies that I have...
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| Matching zebra onesie from my awesome Tsai cousin-sisters for Christmas 2014. |
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| Liliane gave me this Cookie Monster onesie for Christmas 2013 - (along with those flip mitt gloves that people keep complimenting me on.) I remember her being unsure whether I'd like these gifts but her doubt was totally unnecessary. I <3 my onesies!! |
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