Shopping with Ah-poh



This is my grandmother.

She is 85 years old. She goes swimming on a regular basis and takes daily strolls for her constitution. She braves Canadian winter temperatures and the TTC subway system to walk about town. She knows Chinatown like the back of her hand. She does laundry like you wouldn't believe.

She survived orphanhood in Hainan and a childhood full of sorrow. She doesn't like to talk of her life before marriage.

She was married when she was 19. She had seven children; she has outlived two of them, as well as her husband. She has eight grandchildren and one great-grandson.

She has lived in China, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Toronto. She has visited England, Russia, Prague, Japan, South Korea and more. She doesn't speak English but she has ridden a camel.

She cooks like the devil, banters like a pro and likes to watch The Price is Right.

She's awesome.