Proud of my parents

When I went to the car repairshop this afternoon, my poor RAV 4 was suspended high up there with the 4 wheels removed and gearbox gutted out. What a sorry sight it was!

The mechanic wanted to show me the damaged gear before they put the new parts in. Some parts are still being flown in from Japan, so the car won't be ready until end of the week. I've never worked with them before but they look like a bunch of good people.

I was eager to know the hows and the whys. My car is not that old afterall. The soft-spoken boss explained in a manner even a child could understand. "It is normal for cars to breakdown every now and then. Even people fall sick and die. Look at all these cars, yours is not the only one," he said, pointing out the Merc, BMW, VW and Mini Cooper glistening under the sun.

"And this big gearbox here belongs to a Jaguar."

It's comforting to know that even fancy cars end up here, likely with a larger repair bill than mine. I also know that I'm in good hands because these guys know my dad. They have been specially kind and civil towards me. Maybe it is because my dad has a good reputation. He has good ethics and is a well respected man. It makes me proud to be his daughter. I hope my kids are proud of me too.

You know how parents are always so proud of their children, but you don't hear people gushing about their parents. More often than not, they complain about their annoying habits or how difficult their folks are.

Over the years, I have learned to be more appreciative of my parents. These days I find myself reminiscing the old days and trying to recall the dishes we grew up eating. You see, my parents used to be alot more adventurous in the kitchen. Mum used to cook braised pork knuckles, ngoh hiang and other yummy things when she was younger. Now she only eats to live.

I craved for her delicious szechuan vegetable soup yesterday, so I cooked it for dinner. It was a first for the kids. They thought it was nice but too salty. CH just gulped everything down. I had forgotten to soak the szechuan vegetable in water before cooking but what do I know, it was my first attempt. I should have asked my mum!