Category Archives: Life

Flashback Friday, Part 2

Posted in Family, Flashback Friday, Life, Memories, Photos by

Last week I flashed back to my memories with my grandparents on my Dad’s side of the family. This week, I’m flashing back to my Mom’s side of the family.

I’m fortunate enough to have amazing memories with both my grandparents and great-grandparents on my Mom’s side of the family. My Nana and Papa (my great-grandparents) lived in Palm Springs, California, so I didn’t get to see them very often. They would come up every summer to “escape” the heat in Palm Springs. (Apparently it gets hotter than the summers here, which is ridiculous) You can see the road on the other side of the river from my grandparents house and my brother and I would wait and watch by the window for them to drive along.

My Papa was the one who got me into playing the piano. He played the organ (and accordion!) and I remember sitting beside him on the bench and “play” along with him. When I got better, I remember my mom getting me to play for him while she placed the phone on the piano so he could hear me. The one time we travelled the Palm Springs to visit (and go to Disneyland), I remember him calling me a mermaid because I was constantly in the pool, splashing everywhere.

This was during my first Christmas.

My Papa passed away when I was in Grade 5 or 6. I didn’t really react much then, but I miss him a lot now. I think that if he were still alive, I’d still love playing the piano.

My Nana was amazing in the kitchen, as any grandparent should be. I remember her collecting apples and apricots from my Grandma’s trees and making the most amazing applesauce and apricot jam. A couple years after my Papa passed away my grandparents moved her up to Kamloops so she would be closer to family. I visited her as often as I could and even fulfilled my promise that when I was old enough, I’d take her to the casino and we could play the slot machines. She always had Canadian Club (a whiskey) right before dinner and would make me check her breath to see if the booze smell was noticeable.

She slowly fell ill and because she didn’t have medical coverage in Canada, my Grandma had to take her to Washington so she could get the help she needed. A couple weeks after her 90th birthday, she told the attending nurse that “Tomorrow’s going to be a good day.” She passed away in her sleep that night. I miss her terribly and wish I could’ve spent more time with her during the last few days in Canada.

I was either 16 or 17 in this photo

My Grandma and Grandpa are both amazing people. From travelling to Calgary, multiple camping trips and family get togethers, they are amazing, devoted Grandparents and have nothing but love for all their kids and grandkids.

During my high school graduation

The concluded my Flashback Friday for this week. Happy weekend everyone :)

Flashback Friday, Part 1

Posted in Flashback Friday, Life, Memories, Photos by

Growing up, I was lucky enough to know both sets of grandparents as well as three of my great-grandparents. I know some people grow up without grandparents, or at least not both sets, and never got to know their great-grandparents.

I’ll start with my Dad’s side of the family. I don’t have pictures of my great-grandma, “Granny”, as we called her. My memories of her include her old apartment near Chinatown in Vancouver, which reeked of Tiger Balm, her wig and the fact that she was blind. I remember her touching my face, asking how old I was, what grade I was in. She’d call me a good girl and give me stale cookies.

My Dad’s parents, who we called Grandma & Grandpa Chow (original, right?), raised my Dad and his siblings in my hometown before moving to Vancouver to retire. My Grandpa owned a store, which belonged to his father, back in the day and it was quite popular. “Wing Chong Tai” is what is was called and it’s even in the museum in my hometown, with a picture of him and everything. I remember once, we were grocery shopping while we were visiting in Vancouver and he insisted on buying my brother and I a chocolate bar, even though my Dad told him “No” a million times. (Grandpa Chow won!) After having cancer and a stroke, he passed away when he was 86. (Or at least I think that’s how old he was.)

My Grandma Chow didn’t speak English very well, so I only remember her yelling “Eat!” in this high-pitched voice that demanded respect. Her food was amazing. I remember her jade jewelry. I was only about 3-years-old when she passed away. I can’t remember how old she was when she passed away, but she battled with diabetes. I remember her insulin needles in the cupboard in the bathroom.

This a picture of my grandparents and I when I was almost 1-year-old. They came to visit every Easter, which meant twice as much Easter candy and chocolate. (Also note how Chinese I looked when I was a baby!)

Next Friday, I’ll flashback to my Mom’s side :)

Happy Friday everyone!

Distances are challenging

Posted in Friends, Kara and Kyle, Life by

A couple days before my birthday last week, I nearly cancelled my plans. I realized that I have no friends, or at least none in town. All my friends seem to like to move or relocate a couple years or so into the friendship.

Example:

– B, one of my closest and dearest friends moved all the way up to Fort. St. John to be with her boyfriend. I miss her terribly because she’s the only girl I can joke and jest with and she won’t take offence and be bitchy about it.

– Melissa recently just moved to Vancouver to chase her dream of becoming an amazing reporter. (Or something like that! Sorry if I got that wrong Mel!) We shared a lot of good times while we were in J-School and I’m so glad that we became friends, even though our first meeting was slightly awkward.

– C will soon be moving to Vancouver to pursue her career in acting/directing. Despite all the personal issues with her dating the Roommate (which I’ve gotten over) I’m really going to miss her! She is an amazing friend and is so kind to her friends and family.

Okay, so maybe three people moving shouldn’t be such a big deal, but when you’re that close with someone, it’s really hard. My life will continue on, even though my friends move away. You can’t make people stay anywhere, and that’s one of those things that’s hard to accept.

I remember once upon a time Kyle had applied for a job in Langley (About 3 hours away) and he went down for an interview/welding test. He did well and was offered the job and I cried a mix of happy and sad tears. I was happy that he got the job but was so terrified of being apart from him. After hearing how upset I was, he declined the job offer.

Part of me was relieved, the other part was mad because my personal issues shouldn’t have gotten in the way of Kyle pursuing his dreams.

I suppose what I’m trying to say is that I shouldn’t get so overwhelmed when my friends decide to pursue their dreams. The majority of the time, you have to relocate to find what you’re looking for. I’ve been lucky enough to find it without moving.

I need to remember that my friends are still my friends, no matter how many kilometres separate us. The distance may even bring us closer since we would cherish the moments we do get to visit.

So, while I may not have many friends in town, at least I have some amazing ones far away.