Kim: New Dining Set

Here is our new family size dining table for 8.

With the previous table, we used to have the children seated at a separate table when we have more than 3 guests.  Now we can easily accommodate ten Asian size around this 5-footer.

There was a consideration for a long table for the dining set but being Asians, we feel more cozy with the round table sharing the Asian the dishes and one big bowl of soup.  And one doesn't have to bend over to look at the person on the other end just to make connections.

New table, new beginnings.

Kim: Dining Table

Today marks another milestone as our family grows.  The country-looking dining table which we had with us is going to another family after 21-22 years being in our household.

This unique 4"x4" dining set was bought at a furniture shop called ECO in Marine Parade Central. The shop sells all solid wood furnitures like this. The original color for the wood stains had been retained since the first day we set our eyes on it.

This dining set had been dragged to many different corners of our house as and when our creative juices flowed (mind you even the chairs are heavy). Around this table we saw how our family grow from just the twosomes into a family of 5.  Many guests have sat round this table for meetings, meals and even counselling.  Like part of our family this dining set has gone through many Christmas gatherings and birthdays celebrations, always being stretched to its limits with food and people fully packed around it.

Our babies ate at it on their highchairs, the toddlers would romp about in their walkers knocking into its legs countless of times. As the children enter school, it would be a homework table with books and papers all spread about.  Craft work was done over it when we mothers gather over breakfast meetings. Sometimes I would use it for some sewing and mending jobs in the afternoons, or computer work, or writing letters.  Interesting dishes I've never cooked before and will never repeat again were boldly served on it. Sometimes the disciplining of the children over their mischief. Tears shed and tissues passed over the table when my teen was discouraged at school. Many life changing conversations have taken place at this table. Broken relationships mended, love restored.

We've never imagined that our family would grow to be so big. But because our family loves to eat together and have guests over so we had decided to upgrade to a 5" round marble table which can seat 8 to 10 people.

There is a nostalgic and somewhat sentimental feeling lingering in my heart as I write this post.  The other family that is going to have it is a young family.  May this dining set see them through their seasons of growth as a family as well.

Goodbye my lovely dining set.  

Rachel: Start of Something Beautiful

Hello, I'm Rachel Man, co-author of this blog, and I warmly welcome you to 'Manuscript of Life'.

If you are reading this, it is highly likely that you are either a friend of mine, or my mother's. Even if you're not, we are extremely glad that you took some time off your busy schedules to read through the various updates, or even insights, of our lives. Truth be told, both of us already have our own separate blogs, which we update from time to time at random moments. But after some thought and discussion, we decided to create our own tiny little space on the net together. 

But why? 

Living in the same house, we have the advantage and privilege of seeing each other everyday, and even having many heart-to-heart-talks (htht). However that does not mean that we live the same lives. With this blog, we'd be able to express our tiny slices of opinions on one platform, allowing not just ourselves, but many others to see how much our experiences and views can differ greatly, no matter how close we are. This is because it'll be based not only on the differing views of two women, but also on the knowledge of a mother, wife, sister, and daughter. So maybe, this will help many to understand the differences in relationships, or maybe it won't. No matter, everyone has different takeaway points and sometimes, it is just enough to read for the sheer fun of it.

Cheerio,

Rachel


Update: (2/1/17)

After some thought, we have decided to expand it into a family blog, where my father, brother and sister will start to contribute their stories as well. Hearing about this project, they became very excited about it and were very keen on adding their stories and opinions as well. Upon these new additions, not only will there be fresh takes on life, there will also be an exponential increase in the range of ages. With the eldest in his fifties along with our youngest who has barely finished a decade, it is to be expected that future stories to be told will be presented through completely different pairs of eyes. Our only hope is that these tiny collections of stories will remain as a dash of seasoning to people's lives, for we don't just write to be read, but we write to be remembered.