27 Apr 2010 – Mandai Cremetorium
Was at my parents’ niche yesterday to place a new porcelain red rose which was bought in the USA during my Jan visit. A similar rose was placed there when I returned to SIN over 10 years ago. Was so lucky to find this at a sale in SIN then. Eyeing it for over a week but S$60 was on the steep side. And behold, it went on sale at half the price when I went back to the shop to buy it. This rose has been there for over 10 years and the colours have faded over the years. Unfortunately nothing similar could be found again in SIN and the old faded rose has been receiving a couple of layers of spray paint over the years.
Google and found this website http://www.romanceher.com/porcelainrose.htm which delivered the rose within 24hrs when I was in the USA. Hand-carried it back to SIN so that I could place it for this year’s ChingMing, + or – a month is no big deal but staying away from the crowds is my issue. To my surprise the old rose was not in #52. Was rather annoyed as to why anyone would remove it. Placed the new one there, thinking perhaps the old one fell and broke. After completing the usual respectful duties, decided to walk around with rose hunting in my mind. Bingo, found the old rose but not at #52. Both #52 and where the old rose was found are too high for any child to place it there.
Cleaned and placed the old one together with the new one. For the next trip, will try to remember to bring some silk flowers for whoever who needed my parents’ rose so badly so as to remove it. Will leave a note to request for them to NOT take my parents’ roses, now that I have finally managed to get one each for both my parents. Pictures are not from yesterday, was too disturbed to take pictures after 2hrs journey by two different buses on top of the pouring rain and then the missing rose!
The quote is for Linn’s rose garden. The wall is the explanation to Sophie‘s Angel Face blooms 🙂
I once had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: no good in a bed, but fine up against a wall – Eleanor Roosevelt
Stolen rose: I think it’s unlikely that descendents wld do such a thing. It wld be considered the height of impropriety. However, passing human imps might have thought it fun to make the switch.
Why don’t u use silk or plastic? Then can change every time u visit?
Would like to think that somebody took it to admire at a closer look but misplaced it!
I do not like the silk or plastic ones and that is why it has taken me such a long time to find something I like… will take the chance and see what happens on my next visit!!
On further thots, Amy, it might have been the cleaners. The niches at Choa Chu Kang are given a lick of cloth regularly. My dad’s there, so I know.
Guess yr dad’s at Mandai might have experienced the same. And the cleaner/s not remembering where the rose came from might have plonked it at the nearest convenient niche!
Aha… mystery solved. Thanks, Lucy