Friday Five 13-August-2021

[elusivek]

Oh look, it's Black Friday! (The unlucky Friday type of Black Friday)

Questions from thefridayfive

1. Did you grow up with your parents together as a unit?
This does not have a simple answer to me. Were my parents together as in, were they married? Yes. But as my Dad worked as an expat so most of my childhood he was either working somewhere in China, or somewhere else in China, and even for a time in Vietnam. Not sure about other places. And in the years that my Dad was living WITH us, were they together-together? Well, they were married yes, but I have distinctive memories of there being arguments and fights every single day. So, not exaaaaaaaaaaactly a "unit".

2. Did you reach adulthood with four living grandparents?
No. My maternal grandfather died to lung cancer (or throat cancer..., don't remember the details) when I was a kid. Then I don't remember the sequence, but I think my maternal grandmother died, but I was either University age or working age already. Then it was my paternal grandfather, and last was my paternal grandmother.

3. Is your extended family a close one or not?
I'd say yes, especially for the maternal side. Can't help it with the paternal side as they are over in Europe. We have weekly "Obligatory Sunday Family Lunch" (TM) with my mother's sisters every Sunday, and then, for every main birthday, we have the big extended family lunch gatherings.

I feel this needs to be elaborated. My Mom has 3 sisters. One of them has passed already. The bulk of the "extended" family are the sons of this sister that has passed away, all her 3 sons are married, and with kids. The other 2 sisters, and herself, the kids (your truly included) are not married. So the 3 sisters have weekly Sunday lunch with us single losers (LOL J/K) whoever wants to join them, and then the big big big birthday lunches and Christmas gathering is with the full team including those cousins. There's always someone's birthday every month or so, so these gatherings are rather frequent too.

4. Does your family have a 'black sheep'?
Hm.......................... maybe it was that cousin that has passed away already. He was an alcoholic, and now I hear the stories that my Dad used to have to help (coz he's a foreigner, "gweilo", big, strong-looking, and intimidating) beat up that cousin when he was a kid.

5. What is your first memory of a family member that is not your mother(s) or father(s)?
Oh definitely. One of my cousins (one of the 3 brothers mentioned above, not the dead one). I guess I was not even in kindergarten yet? I was in my grandparents' home. I don't know what I was doing, but suddenly I wanted to write down everyone's names, but as I wasn't in school yet so I didn't know how to write. I asked everyone and they were kind enough to tell me, BUT that cousin. He kept saying I'm stupid for not knowing to write and saying he didn't want to tell me how to write his name.

I'm petty with a vengeful heart. His other brother will ask me to help tutor his son sometimes or help out with English homework, and I gladly do that (that kid is my godson to boot). But if HE ever asks me? Sorry, no. I don't want to. But I think he knows, he has never asked.

Comments

[deepseasiren.livejournal.com]

Definitely we are a close knit family. 😊

[notte0.livejournal.com]

I guess to me, because I've always been surrounded by my close-knit family, I actually find it strange when I hear other people having family feuds and all that. Though coming to think of it, we do have our fair share of some drama!

[spikesgirl58.livejournal.com]

Wow, that cousin sounds like a right pratt.

[notte0.livejournal.com]

yep. That's also the same cousin that asked grandma to sell her apartment to him at a very low price, waaaaay below the market price (because grandma was going to move to a home), and now when he is moving out again, he is selling the apartment to outsiders at market price. Which yeah, is fine, it IS his apartment now, but my Mom and aunts were complaining that since he got it cheap from grandma he should be selling it to family cheap too. But. Whatever. Money causes troubles.

[spikesgirl58.livejournal.com]

Wow... and you are right. Money causes all sorts of problems. Happily, not something I really need to worry about.