100 (百）

today was mom's 100th-day death aniversary. it is in chinese, or rather taoist's tradition to mark this day with offerings of food, hell money, etc. dad was saddened by the fact that only half of his children turned up for this. These days being sad is his default mode (who wouldn't).

After about an hour, dad tossed these two wooded clogs to see if mom and her friends, as there were three big bowl of rice, had 'finished' with their food and wine/ tea. If the clogs turned up the same side means they are still 'eating' the food. Dad did this quite a few times, but on the sixth try, he said he told mom not to be sad that so few of her children turned up, and he would ask them back for dinner later tonight. It did the trick.

Later in the afternoon, after we left, he called sis. Cried over the phone. Told sis that he is still very sad that mom's 100th day was such a lonely, cold ceremony.