When Family Gets Together…

Big Aunt flew from Taiwan to LA last Monday with her son and daughter, Dr. Chen and Kelly. After one day of rest, they drove up to visit. ChingYing, Auntie’s second daughter, decided to come along. We were so excited because this meant we got to see most of their family except ChingHuey who is in New Jersey.

This was a rare occasion that so many of us could get together - under one roof - and for three WHOLE days!!!

WE EAT. Doesn't matter when and where. First order of the business: put food on the table and chow down. They arrived late on Wednesday (10/8) because the darn GPS didn’t work. I prepared a lavish seafood dinner and we waited for them to finally arrive at 9:30pm. I did my famous clam bake, boiled up two Dungeness crabs and shucked a dozen oysters. It was Woos and Ahhs all the way to 1:30am. I felt so accomplished that I demonstrated more of my culinary talents the next two nights. I think everyone was so excited that no one really cared how I cooked.

WE DRINK. Didn’t know we could drink. We had such a great time just sitting around the table sipping wine and enjoying like there was no tomorrow. Well, for me there was, because I had to go to work. But we really made the most of it. My little wine rack was almost empty but Dr. Chen restocked it before he left.

WE TALK,LAUGH AND SING. We did our best to catch up in the three days that they were here. There were so many stories to tell, new and old. Mom and Auntie were telling us stories from their childhood. We were teasing each other about our childhood. When the Moms and Dads were dating, one of the kids (older cousins) usually tagged along. When my older cousins started dating, the younger ones (like my brothers and I) would usually tag along. We laughed at family jokes. Someone would start singing out of the blue and the rest would joined in - that's a tradmark of our family. The clinking of the glass, the cheers and the laughter could be heard outside of the house into the wee hours. Nights were very young.

WE CRY. When it was time for them to leave to go back to LA on Saturday (10/11), Mom and Auntie hugged and cried. The girls were hugging and crying too. The guys ran away but they were red-eyed. The farewell went around for about 30 minutes. Endless pictures taking and more hugging and crying. Eventually, we did have to part. They drove off but we kept waving at each other until the car turned the corner.

Blood is thicker than water (and wine). It’s so hard to say good bye.