Birth and Marriage

The newest addition to the Yeow family, William, arrived on Friday, 13 March. I am relieved that the Yeow family name will continue with him, since the only other male Yeows capable of producing successors are his father, Eugene, my cousin, and my brother who is and will stay a bachelor, so one can count him out. My uncle Eddy, Eugene's dad, is my dad's older brother. The little one is a rather frowny baby but adorable all the same. He was asleep the whole time of our visit, and despite our great attempts to awake him with all fathomable but safe methods, he continued to slumber, much to his parents' dismay, cos that meant he would keep them up most of the night. Welcome to parenthood, Wendy and Eugene!

I attended a family friend's wedding anniversary recently. Aunty April and Uncle Denis are longtime friends of my mum's. They met when Aunty April and my mum worked together in Singer Sewing Machine Co. eons ago, and have kept in touch til today. They're one of my favourite couples and although we hardly keep in touch except for one annual visit during Chinese New Year, they will always have a special place in my family's hearts. I remember playing with their kids, Ping and Huey, who are one and two years younger than me respectively, whenever our mums met up. It's strange, the things one remembers sometimes.
I recall their Garlic Ave home quite vividly, and the cars they owned then, a white Mazda 626, a Citroen and later a Hyundai Excel which they would lend us every Chinese New Year without fail. That's something I will never forget...their kindness. True, they mostly had two cars at any one time but they were in no way at all obligated to lend one to us. I remember making my way to their home on CNY eve for many many years to pick the car up. I would be extremely excited each time to the extent that I would feel the tingles before I started the car. I also remember how either Aunty April or Uncle Denis would guide me out through the gates of their house and give a wave as I left. It was heaven to have a vehicle to do our visiting with and I would sympathize with people I'd see by the roadside trying to wave cabs down under the scorching heat that would make its unreserved appearance with every CNY. How lucky we felt.
They were also there when my dad passed away. Aunty April was with us when I first saw my dad's lifeless body on the hospital bed and burst into tears. My emotions were unstoppable and I remember wiping my tears and snort with my hand and then wiping it on my jeans, and her hand offering me some tissue. She drove me to the Singapore casket to settle the funeral arrangements and I remember her asking about our finances and if we needed help while we were in her car. I will never forget these periods of my life and the friendship the family has given us throughout the years. They're obviously very well off but are very humble and mix with the likes of middle class folks like us, which speaks volumes about themselves. I thank them for their friendship, and raise my glass to the both of them, on this occasion of their 38th wedding anniversary. I wish them many more years as a couple and as our lifelong friends!