They’ve gone now so I can talk about them
30 October 2005

My family was here from 25 October to 29 October. We saw lots, ate even more (my uncle can eat every half-hour, what a man), and had some great laughs. My mum is a star and brought what we asked for (contact lens solution, Kettle Chips, and Branston Pickle). As I mentioned earlier, I had not seen my sister in almost two years, and isn’t it fantastic, we didn’t argue once (we used to fight all the time as kids). We got along famously and it was really fun, despite feeling the obligation to wake up early so many days in a row (nether Neil nor I realised 8am exists on a Saturday morning).

I also found out that there is no such thing in Singapore that is comparable to the duck porridge we ate here. We introduced them to Xinjiang food, which they had never tried before (no lamb or mutton for my mum and aunt, but plenty for my uncle). They are such a hoot, my uncle especially, and we found out some exciting family history — my grandfather (on my mother’s side, my only living grandparent) was almost kidnapped in the early 70s and then successfully applied for police permission to install an emergency car phone. Neil even joined in the family tradition of tussling for the bill, a very Singaporean (and Chinese) thing to do, but my uncle adds spice by trying to embarrass the other party into running away far and fast so he can pay, a very special skill picked up goodness knows where.

(He is known for breaking loudly into song at birthday meals at restaurants and I remember staying in the toilet for ten minutes at one of my birthdays because I was scared I’d be so mortified at the attention I would implode so hiding like a little wuss was preferable.)

I do miss seeing my family since I’ve been in Xiamen, I realise it more when I manage to catch up with them (I tend to be rather anti-social at the best of times, plus I remain a little punk). I’ve got a Flickr set of the four days my uncle, aunt, mum, and sister spent in Xiamen.

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