I was truly glad for sister's presence over the last month. She spent a month with our folks and truly took care of them.
She flew home last night and I sent her off to the airport.
She saw how tough it was for me to be the sole caregiver and I felt she has a bit more compassion, empathy and care now to want to care for our elderly parents. This trip, I felt, made her realise my challenges as she faced it too.
I am sure mum and dad will miss her as sis made sure they had breakfast on the table daily and hot home cooked meals when she was with them. She felt the strain and struggle of their incessant demands and unreasonableness. But that is how elderly acts out isn't it?
We both know now that we must not outlive our usefulness. It is ok to live long if health is on our side. But if one if demented, or has mobility issues then life no longer holds a meaning I feel.
I know that when I age, I will probably lose my mobility too as I have half my spine in steel. I feel pain on a daily basis but suck it up to continue on and live as meaningful a life as I can. Yes, my thighs hurt after being on my feet for more than 2 hours. I get up hunchbacked sometimes when I am too tired. So I fully understand how my mum feels.
I am grateful for the kindness of Neighbor who takes the effort to cook my daily dinners and lunches on weekends too. In fact she has begun to cook for my parents on weekends too.
Her generosity and kindness touches my heart really and the least I could do is get her gifts of Manuka Honey UMF+10 or UMF +20 kind as she loves honey.
Neighbor cooked this last Thursday for my parents, sis and I. She wanted to cook something special for my sis before she returned to New Zealand.
Nasi Biriyani or yellow rice with almonds that is a staple of Indian cooking.
Garlic Naan that Neighbor made from scratch
Naan with sea salt
Naan with coriander
Cauliflower with chick peas
Curry chicken cooked with yoghurt
The other meals she cooked just for me for dinners.
Fried Grouper head with rice
This was cooked by her Filipina Helper, fried anchovies with pickled radish
Carrot and pork soup
drumstick leaves with carrots and pork rib soup
Grilled Saba fish with rice, side of fried leeks with doufu curd
Dessert was a bean pastry from Taiwan, a friend of hers returned from Taiwan and gave her a box.
Stir friend spinach with rice
Yong dau foo that she made on her own. This is a lovely dish that is often eaten at hawker centers
Neighbor bought a lychee and longan loaf and shared with me. It was really delicious.
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