. . . to the Best Mom in the world - My Mommy . . .
We live in a double storey house in Malaysia and we never had a maid. Mom does everything herself, from washing to cleaning to cooking to taking care of all our little needs.
Mom has 5 kids and I'm her youngest girl. The pampered rebellious one. But her love for me never withered.
I was a sickly child.
Mom stays by my side throughout the nite with no complain whatsoever whenever I have an asthma relapse. Mom nurses me back to health and always ensure I eat on time. She wakes up early in the morning to prepare lunch for me to bring to school and my water bottle is different from my classmates. My classmates carry nice strawberry shortcake water bottles whereas Mom makes me carry a mini hot water flask. She fills it up with super warm water that still stays warm even after 8 hours! Sometimes, I pour away the water and secretly drink chilled coca-cola instead!
Mom sews well. She makes me little dresses. Little bags.
Mom quits her teaching job to be a homemaker and to spend more time with us, her beloved kids. She is a dedicated wife and a great Mother. And she inspires me so much that I wrote in my karangan (essay in Malay language) that I want to be a housewife like her when I grow up! I was 9 years old then.
Mom bakes the perfect chiffon cake, light, soft and just right. And in different flavours. I like her orange chiffon cake the best. She uses real fresh orange juice! She bakes the best pineapple tarts that melt in your mouth, makes the best otak-otak that you will never forget, cooks the most healthiest and delicious dinner every nite. We always look forward to Chinese New Year coz we get to eat all her delicious homebake cookies! Whenever we have cravings for KFC, she whips up her version of delicious fried chicken that even comes with coleslaw and mashed potato for us. We have homemade Chinese Pao for breakfast, yummy tau-suan and I love our little popiah session at home. Everyone help out a little except Dad, coz he's the head of the family and Mom serves him the best that she can. It really is so fun eating and laughing at the dining table. Oh, Mom can cook Penang laksa! The BEST!
Mom doesn't like us to eat out coz she feels that those outside food are mostly rich in MSG and OIL and that is also why Mom enjoys cooking and baking so much. She loves us and wants the best for us. All we need to do is tell her what we feel like eating. Her hobby is to try out new dishes, new cookies, new kuih-kuih, new desert and we are her guinea pigs but we gladly offer our service to her. Anytime!
Mom is really the best cook ever. She only needs to taste the food once and can duplicate the same dish with nearly the same taste. In fact, nothing that I eat now is anywhere near her cooking and baking skills
Mom doesn't spend unnecessarily. She hardly spends on herself. Mostly, she spends on us.
Mom is a genius.
Mom is amazing.
And Mom passed away on May 13, 1990.
It was a Sunday that year.
It was a Mother's Day that year.
I know the tenses should all be in the past but in my heart, she is still very much alive.
And suddenly I'm the rebellious little girl again. The little girl who misses her Mommy when Mommy is far away from home for far too long.
