5 Dec 2013 – Second Cousins

Sun: thus starts this first Sunday of Advent on 1 Dec. Dank je wel/thank you in Dutch to nephew Clement for letting me watched movies at his lovely bachelor-pad and thank you to 4th sis-in-law Poh Kit, nieces Judy & Daisy and grand-nephew Darryl for dinner company and shopping at Ikea

Tue: welcome cousin Amy back for her second visit in wet rainy SIN. Wed morning nasi lemak breakfast and some shopping in the MP area before heading to the museums for the afternoon.

Quite coincidentally, Amy is my name sake, same generation but nearer to Linn’s age and she also married and divorced a Norwegian!! So we will be referred to AmyCA and me as AmySG when both of us are in the same picture.

Thank you Joy LAM-THIO for a delicious dinner with the yummy Roasted Almond Chicken as their signature dish at Shang Palace****/ShangriLa Hotel. The last time I saw Joy was in the 1950s and for AmyCA, this is their first meeting. Later in the evening, managed to connect the dots. Joy’s father was my father’s first cousin, ie Joy’s and AmyCA’s grandfather was my grandfather’s brother.

Joy’s father uncle LAM YatChong was from the first wife and he passed on in 1951 before she was born. AmyCA’s father uncle LAM YatMeng is from the second wife. Met up with him and his family for the first time a few years ago during their SE Asia visit and again in Oct during my CA visit.

Pix of grandfather LAM SongKee, grand uncle LAM JieChiew and their families in the 1930s

Wed: great to catch up with AmyCA. Delighted to re-connect with a long-lost cousin Joy and she certainly lives up to her name, a joy to be in her company. Safe journeys to both who will be travelling in different directions, one back home to CA via HKG and the other to Canada for her Christmas holidays.

Special Dec dates:

14 Happy Bdays Ingrid HUSTAD & LAM Cheng Chwab

16 Happy Bday Andy LAM

23 Happy Bday Minos LAM

24 Happy 14th Anniversary Patricia LAM & Albert CHUA

25 Merry Christmas

27 Happy Bday Lisa XIAO

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves – Buddha