👶 PANDEMIC BUNDLE OF JOY 👼

  

Ivy Evelyn Narayan, the creme de la creme of the Covid-19 pandemic, a daughter/

granddaughter/sister/cousin. Ivy my grand niece, arrived in April at the height of lock down in Malaysia. 

       Ivy arrived at a time when even driving out to buy groceries was an ordeal with a zillion SOPs to follow - ONLY heads-of-household were allowed to shop, ONLY ONE person per car and police check-points sprouted like mushrooms. MASKS were so much in demand, they became rare commodities.

     SANITISE, SANITISE and SANITISE (including the groceries) AGAIN. The nightmare of having to stretch food to last for more meals was real. ALAMAK, with further worries of adding diapers, milk, bottles, medications etc, to the grocery list, this must have been a stressful experience for the family.

     Hospitals were suddenly baffled and in a panic about delivering babies. 

This chaos surfaced after an earlier delivery from a covid-19-positive mother who did not truthfully declare her movements. As such, nurses and the obstetrician involved in the delivery were put on 2-weeks quarantine immediately. All areas in the hospital where the mother was placed were sanitised and closed.  It caused much inconvenience to the public.

    Thus, new SOPs were introduced. It became mandatory for ALL parents-to-be to get Covid-19 tests before "babies pop from the ovens." Depending on the results returning as positive or negative, it was necessary for mother and baby to be quarantined in specific centres, and daddies in self-isolation at home for two weeks. Thus, instead of the excitement of anticipating  the birth of a child, parents-to-be were confused, jittery, nervous, anxious, edgy and just damn worried.

                Ivy's arrival was so different from Saha's, Sonia and Roshan's first daughter.  The pandemic did not allow for any fanfare or streams of visitors into the ward with balloons and gifts. No family members were allowed to accompany or visit. 

             "Waaah, I wanna go back in and arrive with more pomp and splendor after the pandemic."

       Sonia and Roshan, like all parents-to-be checked into the hospital and checked out straight for home with their new bundle of Ivy. A lovely name for a lovely girl. Thank goodness, Sonia and Roshan did not get too creative with baby names.

All went well 

and Ivy arrived home to Sasha

 who took her duty as "BIG" sister very seriously. 

Ivy blooming along at seven months.

Sasha giving Thory a hug.  

"SOMEBODY SAVE ME, this girl's got a mighty strong wrestler's rear CHOKE."

SOMEWHERE IN THE DARKEST NIGHT A CANDLE GLOWS

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the Light “ – Aristotle. 

I remember the dinner we had with friends on January 9^th 2020. Heng Kiet’s ageing mother-in-law lives alone in Wuhan, the epicentre of the pandemic.

17th November 2019

Wuhan was in total lockdown and Kiet’s wife was in despair. We arrogantly argued that Covid-19 was nothing more worrying than the flu bug. Exactly like someone else, we laughed, “Tell your wife don’t worry-lah, it’ll go away.” How presumptuous we were! Covid-19 is still as virulent today as it was in January.

The world waited anxiously for IT to go away. We have realised now that this pandemic gave us the opportunity look within ourselves. To reflect and do the things we never made time for. To focus on positive changes, first for ourselves and later perhaps for humanity.   Lions clubs NEVER stopped serving the communities - packing masks, groceries for homes, and collecting

donations.

To keep our bodies healthy, our dedicated qigong “lao shi” (teachers) were inspirational  with FOUR daily zoom sessions: 6am – 9am, 10am – 12pm – 2 - 4pm and 8 – 10 pm.OUCH, it is too much for me but I TRY. That's me, the blue bird. My video was off as I was probably taking a coffee break!

Buzzy Boey’s acts of kindness for others –  creating T-shirts  and her incredible Celtic art to cheer us on.

My childhood friend, Kim Lian maintained the spice and vegetable garden her daughter started – brazil spinach, aloe vera, Thai basil and a wonder plant for curing the most persistent coughs (Chinese medicine). Kim Lian also bakes and this 

carrot cake was for her son, Bernard. Why is she so productive, I am disgusted!

Avid gardeners, the Liews have been harvesting their "jambu air" (water guava).

Alan has his flourishing indoor/outdoor garden upstairs on the balcony

Kim Lian’s neighbour, Mr. Tan, continued his dog breeding business and produced a litter of pit bulls, above are Sunny and Cloudy.

Even confined to our homes,  online platforms have allowed 

Ms. Puah to attend online conferences and fulfill her annual KPI (Key Performance Index for promotion and salary increment).

  Next on Ms. Puah's agenda is the Coronavirus Virtual Run. 

 Hmm, interesting concept to do an armchair marathon, "Like this-ah, I also can run lah."

The Wees in Melbourne adopted a lost pied cockatiel who just flew in 7 days ago. They reckon Pipi is a Spring chick with its annoying whine  when it wants attention. But every now and then Pipi comes out with a nice chirp. 

But Pipi could not stay long, maybe it was sick and passed away just this morning.

 My friend Connie, after 15 years of working at her dinning table, finally cleared her desk. No more spilled stewed pork, oyster sauce chicken and soups on her laptop anymore. 

One day we hope to remember this coronavirus era and say,

 “2020 was not a wasted year. We beat Covid-19 and survived it OUR WAY.”

ONE DAY AT A TIME

 What an AMAZING 93-year-old lady. How I wish to live as graciously as her. 

Video of song

This song is for Professor E. GEORGE, a friend who has walked many journeys with me, and taught me to live one day at a time.

Lyrics

I’m only human, I’m just a woman

Help me to believe in all that I am and all I can be

Show me the stairway that I have to climb

Lord, for my sake, teach me to take

One day at a time.

One day at a time sweet Jesus

That’s all I’m asking from you

Just give me the strength

To do every day what I have to do.

Yesterday is gone and

 tomorrow may never be mine

Lord help me today, show me the way

One day at a time.

    I, nearing my golden years always run through to form, like the rerun of a good movie. I sometimes moan through life, like an injured soldier.  I make no effort to hide this, if anything I sometimes exaggerate it. My battle scars! Not that life has treated me unkindly but like EVERY ONE else, there were crosses to carry. 

I have been angry with God and questioned him with unkind words (putting it mildly!). God has heard all of this many times. My “mie” (mummy) always reminded me, “God does things in his own way and at his own hour.” 

The Holy pictures are from my parents altar, only reframed.

But, I wished God would do things in MY way and at MY hour. FAT CHANCE, the universe does not revolve around you, Sassy JAM!

Savvy K is finding her niche in life, Gizmo Man has his job and activities. My home is now quiet enough to hear a fly landing on the unwashed dishes

(the dishes are real, the fly was photoshopped!)

interrupted by the whirling air revitalisor,

 by Thory’s muffled snores and Belle’s whimpering dreams. 

Life has been kind to me, 

given me a memorable childhood, 

food always plentiful, 

parents-in-law who welcomed a daughter 

and faithful friends. 

Nothing more to ask for, but to say THANK YOU.

THANK YOU IsaBelle for your calm graceful self compared to snarling Thory.

Thank You to the Wees in Melbourne, Australia for the video.