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Grace Tan
In Life, Musings, Relationships

SOLD: The family home

For those of you who have been following this blog, you’ll know that my parents made the move to KL in 2009 to live with my sister and I. Since then, we’ve been clearing up old stuff and trying to transport as many nostalgic things as possible to KL. After procrastinating for such a long time, we decided the time has finally come for us to sell the house. Today, we signed the S&P agreement.

As my mom sat in her kitchen (possibly the last time), I felt a little sad to hear her asking for things like her oven to be brought up to KL. She said that the glasses in the cupboard are really good and I should keep it. Those glasses from the 60s with floral patterns and which were only used during Chinese New Year.

Reality is, we can’t move everything with us. That’s life. We accumulate material items in our lifetime, only to die and leave them all behind. What’s left are memories.

My sister discovered some stray albums that we missed in our previous trip back.

My sister’s and brother’s car collection. Should this go on eBay?

My little Lego looking set that I had since I was a baby (according to my sis).

My parents outside our home. My dad is still oblivious as to what is happening.

Next trip would be to pack some larger items into the lorry for us to transport up to KL. Then, it’s the final farewell.

Grace Tan
In Life, Musings, Relationships

The Day After

The past 2 days have been a little stressful and tiring for me. Doing 2 wedding shoots back to back is something that I don’t do often, but when I do, my whole body aches like it has been through an entire marathon. Plus the emotional stress of doing my first ever official royalty group photo (which had its set of protocol and challenges); I think I need today to recuperate.

After a long day of shoot, I just want to spend the day doing nothing much but just chill with my hubby. In fact, he’s making me breakfast right now as I type this. :) Aaah… now what would make it even better if I had a pool like this in my backyard…

Happy Sunday everyone! Hope it’s a restful one for you!

Grace Tan
In Life, Musings, Relationships

My return to Brisbane

It’s been 11 years since I graduated and left Australia. Brisbane holds many fond memories for me… 3 years is a considerable amount of time to spend in a country. Today, I landed in Coolangatta airport and traveled by train to Brisbane city. Proudly, I showed Alex where one place relates to another, where my university was, and related stories about how I used to travel around by bus and car, and even driving to Sydney and back from Brisbane in my old 1985 Honda Civic. Yup, my friends and I made it without the car breaking down.

Seeing my old room in my uncle’s home where I used to stay for 3 years made me a little sentimental. It’s funny, I think I recognize the 3 plastic gerberas that are sitting in a vase in that room. I am sure those were the flowers I left behind 11 years ago. Gerberas were my favourite flower then.

After our first meal in Australia (dim sum at a Chinese restaurant, haha!), we went to visit Jeta Gardens, a retirement and aged care resort that is based on eastern values and philosophies. My uncle sits on the board of directors and ever since we heard about it, we knew we wanted to visit the place.

In Malaysia, if you talk about going to a retirement home, there is a stigma involved. Most people would feel guilty about ‘abandoning’ their parents at an old folks home. No one wants to be left behind at a place where they sit, stare at the 4 walls and await their ‘time’. At Jeta Gardens, there is a completely different mindset. People who come here are at various stages of their life. They see this place as a resort, a place where their needs can be met, a place to socialize and make new friends, and to be independent. Some of the elderly who live here are really able-bodied. They can drive, are fit and full of life. Then there are those that need 24 hour care.

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Grace Tan
In Life, Musings, Relationships

My sis and I

It’s quite a rare thing that I appear in magazines. Especially not when I am featured at ages 9, 11, 15 and 31. Some time back, I was contacted by a writer from Her World, asking my sis and I whether we’d be interested in a feature on sisters. We said yes… and this April issue, the article is out! Can you spot which childhood photos are mine on the first page?

Actually, I wish the article gave a more balanced perspective, since they interviewed both my sister and I. But it was written from one perspective only. Well, at least the photo of us together is nice! Secretly, I wish that features like these would highlight my skills as a photographer, not as a sister! Narcissistic? Of course not! *grin*

PS: I know the paper above is wrinkled! My father was a little enthusiastic when he saw the photo of my sis and I.

Grace Tan
In Life, Musings, Relationships

Our Home

350 square feet. That’s about the amount of space I have for myself since Alex and I moved out of our home last August. It was stressful looking for a new house when you have to move out of your old place by a certain date. Well, we’ve purchased a new place, and started the renovations end of last year. After going through a few hurdles like waiting for ages for MBPJ to approve our renovation plans, things finally picked up beginning of this year.

My 350 square feet of space is Alex’s old bedroom in his parent’s home. I am not complaining, because I completely enjoy having home cooked meals waiting for me when I get home from work daily! Yup, totally spoilt by my wonderful in-laws.

According to my contractor, the home should be ready by May. Frankly, I don’t completely enjoy looking through the details of what needs to be done for the home, how many lights to buy, what kind of roof profile we should have, how many inches should the switch be from the door… I am not a very meticulous person by nature. Combined with my short term memory (we have to call the termites guy to do the treatment… what? you mean he’s already done the treatment? when?!!! *alex rolls eyes*), it becomes a recipe for disaster – especially for my relationship.

Alex and I have gone through many tense moments while planning for the house. Today, I went to the tile shop to purchase tiles, proud that I had brought all the measurements with me… only to find out that I didn’t bring the designs from our ID! Alex wasn’t overly pleased. My puppy dog look didn’t help at all. So, people, if you want to test your relationship, go buy and renovate a house together.

Luckily for me, Alex is a rather forgiving person. And I’ve learnt to say sorry… many many times.

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