Mum's 72nd Birthday

Hello!

We celebrated my mum's birthday last Sunday, Joanna Gaspar. She was born in 1937 in Kuala Lumpur. A survivor of the second world war. A survivor of great hardship during her growing up years. She became 'mom' to her younger siblings after she lost her mother and father who expired exactly a year apart of each other. Her mother died with womb cancer after giving birth to 16 children while her father suffered a heart attack.

My mum is a jewel of a woman. She is a role model for all of us, her children and grandchildren. She is a very loving, patient, caring and understanding person.

She's also a very simple lady. She's very unassuming and generous too. She is one woman whom I can vouch is comfortable in her own skin! I say this especially because she never vain.

She's always doing stuff for us. She is a very, very good cook. The whole family enjoy her speciality to bits! Besides that she used to sew our dresses and headgear when my sister and I were little. She would be a barber, baker, tailor and carpenter!.... A perfect DIY icon of those days!

She has taught me the importance of faith - Family rosary prayers every evening before our dinner. She used to drag us to church every Sunday. As we lived on the mainland in Prai (north of Malaysia), back then when buses were not yet introduced. As a kid, I used to look forward to the sampan ride across the river to go to the Nativity Church in Butterworth. It was fun being able to touch the clear water and see the fish swimming by.

Besides that I remember very clearly how much she sacrificed for us kids. Mum was quite strict when it came to housework. She never spoilt us. I appreciate the basic living skills she passed on to me. She sent me off to the market and pay the bills at the age of 6-7 years.

She made sure we knew our responsibilities. School work, chores and other duties were always in check. I used to get upset at times back then but it's only when I grew up, I realised what it was all about.

My greatest wish for my beloved mum is that she enjoys a good life today and always. I just can't imagine if anything were to happen to her. Most of all I pray for God's blessings to shower upon her always because she deserves it!

I pray she enjoys good health in her twilight years. I wish her HAPPINESS, PEACE JOY and LOVE form all her loved ones and friends.

So my dears out there, I do hope you will appreciate, treasure, love and take care of your 'moms', whom ever they might be - how ever they have treated you. As the Lord says, honor and respect your parents, that means your grandparents too as without your grandparents, you wouldn't have your parents and without your parents, you wouldn't exist!

Last but not least always remember what goes around comes around!

Cheers!

Sherry p/s

I made an orange almond cake. Baked special chicken roast, noodles of course (for long life), chili beef and salad. We also had yellow ghee rice and oven baked wheat bread....Menu for the day had to be Mom's special request. We had a gathering of my Dad's sisters, A. Lifo & A. Helen and my cousin Elwyn & family (view pic)...Enjoy! Recipe for Orange Cake.


Orange Cake Recipe

250 grams butter softened
1-3/4 cup caster sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
4 large eggs 1 or 2 oranges - extract juice & orange rind
Almonds for decoration

method:

cream butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs one at a time. Beating well between each addition until thoroughly incorporated. Add orange rind. Sift flour and add in batter gradually and alternate with orange juice. Bake in moderate heat 180C for about 45 mins.