just minishorts.

I don't have many problems during my monthly blues anymore (at least, not the previous hormonal issues that used to cause that caustic curse spouting seasons of the months). First it's great to have an understanding fiance in Eric (the poor boy suffers badly when I'm upset), and then its also because of a whole set of traditional prescriptives that my mom has taken to religiously preparing everything she finds out I'm bleeding.

'Your period over kah?'

'Err… few more days I think.'

'OK I cook pak zham for you, then after that I make some red date soup ok? You must drink ok?'

The problem is pak zham is blue and tastes awful, and instead of how some people take it (for only one day or so), my mom requires that I take it for 3-5 days in row, and everytime she boils it it seems to get thicker. So I was telling her, 'Eh not so thick can ah? Tastes awful you know..'

And my mom said, 'The thicker the better you need it for nourishment.'

'Don't over nourish lah.'

'You're getting married. You need it for the strength. Look at Eric, he's so hardworking at working out, so he must have a lot of strength. You must match his strength.'

'OK… let's not get there…' I go.

'What you mean don't get there? This kind of things must talk one. You must be nourished lah, since you work so late every day, imagine next time when you're staying together, and Eric comes home with needs, and you're tired, how?'

…

So you see, in my case, I've got a mother who's really a little more 'well-read' than others, and in many ways I'm not sure whether its a blessing or a curse. With mother's day around the corner… it becomes extra hard to think of what to get for her (she's always one step ahead of me. Mum hates perfumes, so its out. Flowers, she say, die too early, so those are out too. Coffrets are definitely not her type. Holiday gift baskets used to get her attention, like those fruit baskets they wrap up prettily during Raya or Christimas, but these days any type of gifts packed in a basket just get her frowning.

And then I tried the angpau - method, but I can't afford to put too much into the red packet (otherwise she'll think I'm earning too much and then ask for more each month. I can't cook (not by her standards anyway), and even if I bought jewellery, she wouldn't wear them (you've got weird taste, girl).

So right now. I'm kinda lost as to what to get her. And knowing that mom will probably have something smart to say to my actions anyway, just makes me worried.