Across the boundaries.

So, this is the belated Mother's Day entry. Pardon my indulgence as I write about two things that I love.


As mentioned, my little present was to drag my lazy ass out of bed at 8 am for breakfast. Most of you guys know that I stay in Hougang, right across the street and 20 metres from where the boundaries of the Opposition begin.

A short bus ride later (even my mother was too lazy to walk), we're right smack in the oldest part of Hougang.



The walls are peeling, the benches defaced and weather-worn. The railings along the canal bear scars of chipped paint. Unlike most HDB mini-parks, this one is devoid of pathways, installed flowers and other pretty things.

Interestingly enough, the shallow waters of the canal teemed with fishes, creating ripples all across as if it were raining.



The market/hawker centre along Hougang Ave 7, which my family has inexplicably named 'Tampines Market' probably because of its proximity to the Old Tampines Road.

I'm hard-pressed to think of changes that may have taken place since the days when I was a toddler wearing shoes that squeak when I walk.

The obvious changes are in terms of hygeine requirements : coolers for meat, no more live slaughtering of chickens etc.

They probably changed the seats and tables before, but really, I can't tell.



I've always thought of this place as being one of the older estates in Singapore. Not too sure when it was first built, although I think a good estimate would be late-1970s.



Ah. The food. I've become addicted to the chilli at this nasi lemak stall, and thanks to my Dad and his bike - I have it at least once a week. Its a staple for me. And home-brewed chin chow and tau huay. Mm.



My dad likes to talk to strangers too.





Mini-business everywhere. Mangos from Malaysia! $3 for 1 kg. Good stuff.



We made a stop to visit my relatives a couple of blocks away. The Grand Dowager of the family, my great-grandmother, lives with her eldest son in a shophouse unit. They run an "incense shop", for the lack of a better term. I love the smell of the place.



My uncle (mom's uncle) and my Dad. I have about 20 relatives in Hougang area who contributed to the Opposition vote count.



The shop hasn't changed much in the last 20 years or so, except that business isn't so good anymore. Its tucked away in the middle of a housing estate, and probably relies mostly on regular customers.



So, a bit more on this lady. She had mistakenly voted for the PAP (confused between the logos, and she sure as hell don't read English). "AH!? Its not the lightning sign??" (in dialect, of course)

She loves having her photo taken. She will sit as still as you want for as long as you tell her to.



The people who stay with her have resorted to buying VCD sets of her favourite chinese wayang - just to keep the nagging at a minimum. Ever since her cateract operation a couple of years ago, nothing escapes her eyes (or opinion).



I used to love helping out in the shop, picking stuff from the shelves as dictated by customers.





Martell and Bombay Sapphire. Welcome to my family.



Taking group shots during Chinese New Year or dinners always prove to be a challenge. The one on the extreme left is the most complete set we have to date, sans for a couple of people. I think there's about 90 people in that photo.



And oh dear, the dog that lost its eye because it cried too much when its owner (my mom's cousin) went away on reservist. It developed an eye infection which got worse and worse, despite the vet's (wrong) medication.







It was a nice day. My mom likes to visit relatives etc, even more so when I tag along since I don't get to see them often anymore. There's a lot that we have in common, even if we don't see each other that often. Maybe its where we stay, or that we understand the same dialect jokes, or that really it isn't so difficult to get along with people who are sincere and nice.



There used to be a couple of chickens and a rooster roaming along this stretch at Avenue 4 (right next to the field where they held rallies), but I think they were removed because of the whole bird flu thing.



So! That's about it. I present my mother, who graduated from running in the Punggol kampong barefooted, giving her huge calf muscles, to running in full-running gear at marathons, who didn't know how to use a knife and fork the first time my Dad took her to a restaurant, whose clothes from the 1980s I still wear, and the ones that holds everything together lah.

"Look at the skin on my feet! Its so smooth! Yours are like old woman's like that. You have to moisterize!"