Funeral in 7th Month...

7th month is here!! The most "scariest" month of the lunar year!! Oppss.. hit my mouth!!! Dun anyhow say during this month! I maybe too superstitious but I was brought up this way since young, passed down generations by generations in a traditional chinese family! Certain things or words are taboos during this month! Anyway, 平时不做愧心事，半夜敲门也不惊！

Hiazzz sad to say that I had to attend a funeral in this month, esp is a relative! My paternal grandma had just passed away on the 4th day of the 7th month... my 1st reaction was "Wah, our passed-on ancestors so fast come & bring Ah Mah down? Maybe Ah Gong missed her?" (My paternal grandpa passed away in 2004)

We (my bros & I) were not very closed with my grandma (& grandpa), maybe b'coz we seldom visit them. My dad's side relatives all stayed within same area & had a shophouse near where we stayed (my mum's hse lah). My mum dun quite like us to go down to the shophouse often. I dun really understand why mum dun quite like us to be too closed with them. But after married, encountered in-laws problems myself then I realised my mum's intention! Heehee....

But I still have some vague memories of my grandparents, esp when looking back at the old photos! Err.. I remember that my grandparents stayed in the unit above the shop when we were very young. It was later that they moved out to a HDB flat nearby. The most significant image (even for the neighbours there, I guess) is my grandma sitting at the shop everyday! Even my secondary school mate cum neighbour also remembers that when I told her my grandma's death!

My grandparents doted all the grandchildren a lot! My grandpa will go market to buy fresh prawns & steamed SPECIALLY for me when he heard that I'm going down to visit them! Heehee... coz everyone in the big family knew prawns is my favourite!!! Think no one ever "dare" to snatch the prawns with me!!!! Haahaa....

Anyway, back to the funeral! As my father-in-law also passed away early this year. Me & my own family (hubby & kids) are not supposed to join in the praying rites! Quoted by my relatives: 一个人一年里不能带两次孝！So we only allowed to attend the wake & can't go thru' the rituals. On the last day (出殡), the ceremory rites done by the Tan Clan was not as grand as my grandpa's time. Maybe coz my grandpa was the member, grandma is just wife of member so different?

After the rites, the coffin was carried to the casket van & we followed the van & walk round the shop surroundings then took the chartered bus to Mandai Crematorium. After the cremation, we (the grandchildren & great grandchildren) will returned to the wake while my parents, uncles & aunties (sons, daughter-in-laws & daughters) will proceed to a temple in Toa Payoh to store grandma's ash with the rest of the ancestors.

* 孝: A piece of colored cloth is worn on the sleeve of each of the family members for 100 days to signify mourning (Black is worn by the deceased's children, blue by the grandchildren and green by the great grandchildren).