Flowers in Bloom

Not everything was good in Ireland while I was away in China, My Granddad passed away and then two weeks later I got another phone call to say my Grandma had passed away,  My Granddad was 95, and it was not really unexpected, but my Grandma was only 83 and nobody saw that coming, She was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and we knew there was no cure for that, she got phenomena in the last week of her life and sadly passed away. 

A meal with my Grandma in Shelby's

Before we went to China, We packed all our belongings and moved out of our apartment, we didn't want to pay rent for 3 months, and put everything up in my parents attic, with the intention that we would find a new place when we came back, then when my Grandma passed away, my Mom had the idea that we should move into her apartment and since we were strapped for cash we gladly accepted rightly or wrongly. Heres a few pics from around the apartment 

Michael Cooking

 My first bubble bath in years (my old apartment only had a shower)

 Our Bedroom

Our Big Ass TV

Me eating in the dinning room 

Anyway my Grandma was always a very keen Garden, She used to have a huge garden in her old house and when she moved into her apartment she still kept up the Gardening to a lesser extent on her balcony, But when she passed away all her balcony plants were sadly neglected, and when we moved in to her apartment we vowed to resurrect the garden and we started yesterday, Check out the fruits of our work, we still have a long way to go though.

This wasn't our first gardening bonding experience, When we were in China we helped Michael's Mom out with her Garden, it did attract quite a few stares, at one point and old man who seemed to be a bin man stoped his little truck beside the house and stared for a good 10 minutes, This is what its like in rural China, You just get used to it. We all look so glamourous haha!

Grandma's Birthday

Today is my Grandma's Birthday. Happy Birthday Grandma!!! Here is a compilation of photos of her from various Family events etc

My Grandma & My moms dad AKA Grandad

My mom & Grandma

 My sister, My mom, My auntie Valerie & Grandma

 My Grandma, Me and Michael out for dinner celebrating the new appartment

My Grandma and My dad

My Grandma & Guo Zhi Bai

Me, Grandma & Guo Zhi Bai

In October 2010  she moved into a brand spanking new apartment in my town (Bray) Which is probably the best thing she ever did because before she used to live in Dalkey in a big house,  close to no one.  However she did have one hobby Gardening which she had to give up because obviously in an appartment you have no land of your own unless you buy a plot..

Anyway around Valentines day I saw a post about the meaning behind the number of Flowers sent and wanted to share it..Ask a chinese guy

1 Flower: "I love you and only you", "You are the only one for me"

2 Flowers: "I just think of you and me", "Its just you and me"

3 Flowers: A simple "I love you"

4 Flowers: "I promise you love" As I said before, 4 is an unlucky number for Chinese, so clarify in a card or avoid using this amount.

5 Flowers: "I have no regrets being with you"

6 Flowers: "I hope everything goes well for you"

 7 Flowers: "I feel happy with you"

8 Flowers: "Im sorry, please forgive me" Used for saying you're sorry.

9 Flowers: "I will love you forever without regret"

10 Flowers: "You are the perfect lover"

 11 Flowers: "I will love you for the rest of my life", "Your happiness is my only priority"

12 Flowers: "Our souls are forever connected"

13 Flowers: "You have a secret admirer"

15 Flowers: "Im sorry" Same as 8.

17 Flowers: "Lets leave each other on good terms" Used for breaking up.

18 Flowers: "I have a sincere heart"

19 Flowers: "Im looking forward to spending time with you"

20 Flowers: "Forever loving you with an unchanging heart"

21 Flowers: "You are my love"

22 Flowers: "Lets be in love to no end"

24 Flowers: "I miss you, I am always thinking about you"

25 Flowers: "Good Luck"

30 Flowers: "Our love goes beyond words"

33 Flowers: "I will love you for many years to come"

36 Flowers: "My heart belongs to you"

44 Flowers: "I promise you my steady love"

50 Flowers: Same as 5.

55 Flowers: Also the same as 5.

56 Flowers: "My love"

60 Flowers: "May our love be strong and stable"

66 Flowers: "Our love is true and steady"

77 Flowers: "Destiny brought us together"

88 Flowers: "I want to make it up to you" Used to say sorry.

99 Flowers: "I want to be with you forever"

100 Flowers: "Im in love with you 100%"

101 Flowers: "You are my only love"

108 Flowers: "Will you marry me?"

123 Flowers: "Let us enjoy freedom and love"

144 Flowers: "I love you every day, of every month, of every year, of every century"

365 Flowers: " I think of you every day", "I love you everyday of the year"

999 Flowers: "Our love is infinite"

1001 Flowers: "Faithful love forever"

10,000 Flowers: "May our love last for 10,000 years" 10,000 essentially means forever in East Asian cultures. 

Happy Birthday Grandma!!