June and July 2010

Hello Friends and Family,

So...many things have happened in the last couple weeks. I would have written about them sooner, but my Macbook Pro decided to up and die on me. I didn't even have a warning. One evening...in fact the evening I made my last post, the one about the layout I did to show my Mama how I use photoshop to make scrapbook pages...the next morning..."THE BLACK SCREEN OF DEATH!!!" as it is known, officially.

My computer wouldn't even turn on let alone boot up. I took it to a specialized Apple repair store and the tech-guy basically told me to buy a new computer. He figures that my CPU died and to replace it was ridiculously expensive. Why would a computer company make replacement parts sooooooo expensive? Now I need to get a new laptop, and I know for sure it won't be an Apple. Damn rip-off!!!

So, I am posting this on the home desktop a.k.a the kid's computer. And I hate it. The keyboard is all stiff and hard to type with. I don't have access to all my photos and photoshop elements. Basically, I've been relegated to fighting for screen time with my 12 and 6 year old. I'm on right now because we shipped the oldest off to an overnight basketball camp down in the States for 5 days. Which, may I say...lucky kid! I totally wish I was in that camp! I didn't get to do an overnight bball camp until SuperCamp in Grade 11. Ahhhhh.....the memories...the pain...I can't wait to hear her whisper those sweet words..."Mom!!! I can't walk up the stairs! I hurt soooooooooooooo much!!!"

Anyways, other than my computer woes....

My Mama also passed away very suddenly last month. She was fighting, first brain cancer, then lung cancer and finally bone cancer, and she lost her fight.

Mama, Kong kong (my grandfather) and my Mom were staying for us for a month while Mama underwent radiation therapy in Vancouver. My Mom was here to take her Mom to the clinic and to help me take care of my grandparents while they were down here. I know I wouldn't have been able to do it without her. My Mom very lovingly made her parents their favorite meals and we both helped them with their physical needs.

It was emotionally and physically draining. And it was so damn fast! My Mama was over in Toronto visiting relatives (I flew with her and Kong kong) just before Christmas. Starting in February, Mama started to complain of very bad headaches. They wouldn't go away. In March she flew home to Prince George. She was in horrible pain because the headaches were getting worse and worse. In two weeks, she was down at my place to go see a Chinese Accupuncturist. I can't even describe how fast she was deteriorating. I knew something was seriously wrong. I thought brain tumor. Their time with us was tough as her pain wasn't going away and we couldn't get a doctor to agree to see her so we didn't know what was going on. Finally they decided to go back to Prince George. Very quickly, her doctor informed her that she had brain cancer. Two days later they were back with us to start Radiation Therapy. After more tests and scans, we were told that she also had really bad lung cancer, Stage 4 (last stage), and finally bone cancer.

I have trouble thinking about it. Mama seemed to give up. She wouldn't talk much, she couldn't walk without support, and she admitted that she thought it was hopeless, but she was very angry at the same time. She felt betrayed by her body. And she was. Kong kong was in a very fragile state as well. He's 93 years old and his partner only had months to live. They would spend almost 20 hours a day, sometime more! in bed. I really tried to connect with Mama when she was here, but she didn't want to talk much. Frank was amazing. He was so loving and respectful and helpful. He would just hold me and talk me through my sadness. I tried to be the same way for my Mom. It was really hard on her. Mama and my Mom didn't have the best relationship, but watching my Mom shop and prepare their meals for them, I could see that she loved her parents very, very much. Whatever their relationship, I know she was happy that she had so much time with them in the end. Chinese talk about being dutiful, my Mom did her part.

Radiation finished on a Tuesday, everyone flew home that afternoon, and on Thursday morning my sister called me up saying that Mama just had a heart attack, she was eventually revived but they didn't think she would make it to the hospital. We immediately started packing to go up to Prince George, even before we finished, we had another call, Mama had passed away.

We arrived in PG that evening and everyone gathered. We spent the weekend talking and laughing and crying and on Monday morning we said goodbye to Mama one last time.

June Sek Kiam Tseng January 26, 1926 - June 17, 2010

It is still very hard to talk about. Mama was a very big part of our lives. My kids are so lucky to have had such a wonderful relationship with her. She will be greatly missed.

On a much lighter note...

The kids are out of school now. We have been camping twice already and plan to go again this weekend.

We travelled to Whidby Island in WA for our first camping trip. We lucked out and found a spot in Ft. Ebey State Park. It was gorgeous! And boy do those Forest Rangers in the States know how to keep a campground.

Ft. Ebey was a WWII naval battery that was intended to protect the Pacific Northwest from Japanese invasion. The battery was still there and it was a lot of fun, and a little creepy to explore the underground site. Mackendra made me take her there in the dark with just one little, weak flashlight. She was fearless. I was freaked out! I cut the exploration short because I was all weirded out and thought an axe murderer was going to get us. Mackendra put me to shame.

Being a naval base, we were treated with beautiful views of the Pacific and the kids and Tuck played on the beach.

The water was cold though. Very cold. Frank bet the kids $50 each that they wouldn't go in and dunk underwater to the count of 5.

Frank was a little lighter in the wallet that evening.

We loved the campground and can't wait to go back with bikes. They have miles and miles of bike trails on that island.

Our second camp trip was just as fun. We arranged to meet my two sister and their assorted men folk and kids halfway between Prince George and Vancouver, in Green Lake near 70Mile House.

There were 6 adults, and 5 kids and countless laughter. We ate gourmet food, swam in more cold water and played shoeless soccer (sorry about that guys...bad idea). We even played Canasta *yeah!*

It was the first time camping for Ting's kids. Actually Logan went when she was 1, but the other two had no idea what they were missing out on. It was awesome. A little cold at times, rainy other times, but overall a blast.

Ting is coming down this weekend to join us for another weekend of camping. Yeah!

In other news, this summer we are not shipping our kids up to my Mom and Dad's place the whole summer. This year, they are only going for 2 weeks. This means, of course, that we had to find activities for them. Frank did all the planning. Aislinn is in 3 bball camps, and 2 French camps. Mackendra is in a soccer camp, 2 recreational activities camps, and 2 French camps. We also hope to fit in a long family camping trip somewhere along the line, maybe down to California, or a bike/camping trip in the Okanagan. Whew!

In other news...

Aislinn will probably kill me for this, but it is too funny not to post.

Aislinn's nickname is "Ace". We love it and coaches at camp like it and she likes it too. Well, we have just recently changed her nickname to "C Plus". You see, Aislinn didn't do so well on her report card this last semester. So...mean parents that we are, we didn't try to help her or give her a pep talk or anything...nope...we started calling her "C Plus". She doesn't like that nickname.

I will try and post something sooner.

Lots of love.