Grandma's Funeral - Part 1 The Reunion

First and foremost, my family and I would like to thank everyone for the well wishes... We hold a grand funeral for my grandma's yesterday at our home in Ayer Itam, followed by prosession to Bukit Gantong Crematorium where my grandma's body was cremated. Tomorrow, her ashes will be placed in her resting place beside my grandpa at the temple nearby (ayakkss.. forgot the name of the temple).

Before she died, she told my aunts that she wanted to be laid to rest in this kebaya paired with the sarung that late my grandpa bought for her many years ago (grandma so romantic). She also told my aunts that she didn't want all her loved ones to be sad on her funeral. Well it was hard not be sad on funerals, plus its a BIG no-no to laugh or making jokes in Chinese funerals.

The funny thing was, we realllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyy... I mean reallyyyyyyyyyyy enjoyed ourselves throughout the 3 days vigil before her funeral. While makan we laugh, while listening to the Buddhist monks chanting we laugh, while the Taoist priest mispronounce my mum's and Aunt Lara's name we laugh ... we just can't stop making fun of each other... Mainly because most of us had not been seing each other for more than 10-20 years... gosh!!!! So they were so much to catch up. If not because of the Golden Girls Kepoh Chis(my 4 aunts) we will not know the latest news about each other... to one extend we only knew our cousins through our aunts' stories but never even met them ...

Gold bar worth millions of dollars for grandma in heaven.

Everyone catching up stories and latest news.

Everyone too seemed to aged and grew more prosperous... And with Ruby's excellent cookings most of us grew even more prosperous. At first I couldn't recognise my once STYLO uncle Tony until he said .... "yaaaaaaaaaa.... its true". When he was younger I always thought Uncle Tony as the playboy twin of my dad... now he looks soooo much like grandma or grandpa (maybe because he lost most of his teeth hahaha) ...

It was always fun to be around uncle Tony, he has sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many stories of his younger days rendezvous and journey around the world when he was working with an offshore company. Just imagine I just found out that we lived in the same area in Jalan Ipoh the last few years but never bump into each other.

It was also the first time for me meeting cousin Bradley and Brandon, the food loving brothers which earn them the Topui (fatty bom bom) and Tukotai award (potato head) from cousin Wendy. My mum and sister Joan really have soft spot for these two boyz to men... Very well mannered, gentlemen and fun-loving guys. Haaa... they used to be baby models too ... iklan Amalkan Cara Hidup Sihat ... at one glance they can be mistaken as my brothers right? Anyway, these two boys lagi kesian ... they don't speak Hokkien. However, most of the rituals are conducted in Hokkien so everytime the Taoist monk gave us instructions they will have this blank look. At least I could get away by putting on my most Bidayuh expression, these boys mana mau lari ... mata sudah sepet.

I think among Grandma's grandchildren, most have not seen me for more than 15 years. First, I seldom joined my family trip to Penang during my teenage years. Secondly, like my dad and uncle Tony I love to lead my life free, easy and private ... so they seldom see me in any Yeoh's family occasion. BTW, everyone remember me as the naughty one and according to my mum and cousin Wendy, always do my business in the longkang, love to play (and kill) chickens ... luckily I am not a Buddhist ... else I will be reborn as a chicken and ended up as finger licking good KFC.

Nevertheless, I think nobody could recognise cousin Eddie. We had a loud laugh when cousin Wendy told us that she almost chased Eddie away thinking that he might be a bouncer or gangster entering the wrong home. Hehehe in fact my only memory of Eddie was when we were both 5 years old and Uncle David brought myself and Joan with 5 of his 6 children for a picnic to Batu Feringghi Beach...and he was such a baby, always clinged to his sister Ruby.

Baby Wei Szi ... this is her how she smile everytime she strike a pose for the camera.

Sherina and my mum

All the love and attention of the day will definitely go to Hubert's daughter Wei Szi and Ruby's youngest girl Sherina. All of the sudden, I could speak Mandarin hahaha ... coz Hubert's speaks to her daugther and wife in Mandarin (she is a Cantonese). Everyone will give these 2 girls either a kiss on the cheek or squeeze that chubby cheek until baby Wei Szi will scream ... "mai kiss, mai sayang, mai picit". One day we were doing hi five and suddenly when it was my turn Wei Szi said ... "bu yao ta" (don't beat me) ... might have mistaken me for Eddie coz he too tied his long hair into pony tail.

My appreciation will go to my four aunts especially Auntie Janet for putting the family together and keep everyone posted of what happens to each other. And because of their excellent care for grandma, she live to live a long life and up to 5 generations ...

By the way Bradley, since you told me that you will check out my blog, this is the latest pic of ur brother Kevin in my possession taken few months before he left for New Zealand.