Whenever my mother and father visit they bring me food and household items. Usually my mother will call and ask if I need or want anything. I will usually say that I don’t. Today my mother called at 10:30 am and asked if I needed moisturizer. I initially said no but then recanted. She asked if I needed anything else and this time, I was clear that I didn’t. Not that that matters.
So my parents arrived two hours later with my aunt in tow. Not only did they bring me moisturizer, but my family swarmed me with the following:
- a jar of homemade pickles made by dad
- a bag of purple and green tomatillos that my aunt picked from who-knows-where
- little packages of beef jerky, dried apple chips (from Costco I can imagine)
- rice pudding cups and yogurt (also Costco items)
- a giant opened bag of parmesan flavoured baguette crisps (Costco!)
- a bunch of bananas (”Eat a banana a day!” my mom stated as she came at me with the bunch)
- a gallon of vegetable oil
- a bottle of extra virgin olive oil
- loose packs of gum
- two litres of soy milk
- dried sausage cut up in a bag
- a Chinese moon cake
- a box of Ziplock bags
- a roll of parchment paper
- a roll of plastic wrap
- two tubes of toothpaste
- four bars of soap
- toilet cleaner
- 1 24 pack of toilet paper rolls (SCORE! I hate buying toilet paper)
I probably forgot something. Oh, on top of the moisturizer, my mother also gave me a tube of lipstick and lip gloss. I don’t wear lipstick, or lip gloss even, ever. Essentially the aforementioned donated items are a result of my parents still not being used to having the kids moved out of the house and their inability to resist a deal or sale. And my mother wanting to pawn off some of the stuff she hoards in the basement that she discovers she has too much of. Also, I have a feeling they are worried that I do not make enough money and want to just genuinely help me by furnishing Steven and I with ‘essentials’. It’s not bad for the most part, but I basically end up with more things that I don’t really use or use quickly. I still have three rolls of aluminum kicking around.
,
I think this is one of your most inspired posts yet. Although I do appreciate the literary merits of lists.
my dear, you are a lucky girl! but it’s also hilarious and moving the way your parents shower you with costco items and toilet paper. it’s like how my dad’s always fussing about my computer because that’s the only way he knows how to say “I love you.” when my mom and grandma came to visit, they bought new toilet paper and toothpaste–the toilet paper we had was a brand we were experimenting with and didn’t like, but they went out and searched it out. same deal with the toothpaste, even though Tom’s fennel is way more expensive than any toothpaste they’d ever buy for themselves.
It’s true that it is an expression of their affections. And it’s nice to get random things (although I have an alarming amount of aluminium foil). That’s cool your mom and grandmother seek out special items for you, your “brand”.
This post makes me feel a bit relieved that my parents aren’t the only ones who do this. My parents stock up on toilet paper, tissues and paper towels when there is a sale just to have enough to bring one over when they come visit. There last visit they brought me clothes pins and hooks (because i mentioned i was installing a clothes line), leftover food, Japanese seasonings, of course toilet paper, and some of my old clothes (they are trying to force me to get rid of all my stuff still left at there place, so they bring a little every time i see them).
I always wonder are they doing this because they don’t think i can remember to do it myself, or do they like to still feel needed. It’s probably just because they care so much. Or maybe it’s just an asian thing?
I’m glad i found your blog, look forward to reading some more
i loved reading this post - it sounds so familiar, though my mom has gotten a lot better about this as we don’t live very close at the moment. after many years of getting a wonderful assortment of random items (a whole bag of j-cloths, a large bag of pepperidge farms goldfish crackers from the outlet store, assorted holiday chocolates - after the holiday= on sale, socks) we now mostly get many pounds of nuts. I have said that yes, nuts we can use. Who buys 15 pounds of nuts at a time? my mom, to bring to us. We love having all the almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, macadamias,etc that we need for baking and eating.
The Chinese instinct of carry food items a long distance has been instilled in me too, from watching my grandmother unpack her suitcases when she came to visit at christmas - jars of pickles, pots and pans, floor length scratchy nighties, you name it! aww, i miss her.
The most memorable food my mom has carried a long distance was when she brought a fancy chocolate cheesecake, frozen, in an insulated bag with ice packs on multiple flights from the states to visit me in Thailand for my birthday. that cake and my mom journeyed almost 30 hours so that we could share that cake with my friends in Bangkok, and the restaurant owners where we were eating.
Thanks XY!