I started packing after work on Monday. I didn't go out even though my friends asked me out for supper. I just stayed at home and packed my stuff with a very relax and joyful mood. :-)
Tuesday, Yueen Mun, Jee Leng and Joseph came to have lunch with me around 1.30pm. We went to Yoshinoya. Yueen Mun was going to leave for her studies on Thursday which I won't be seeing her after this, so we chat for quite awhile. I was quite impressed and glad to hear what she told me. She has definitely grown up a lot. She's still young and still lots to learn but with her right mind and attitude, I'm sure she'll be fine. I really thank God for her. Although I didn't really spend lots of time with her, to have her as my prayer friend every Wednesday was just great. She's a very thoughtful and caring person. Still remember during my exam time, I was really touched by her prayer for me. I'll continue to pray that she'll be able to find her place in Australia, to focus on her studies, to shine among her friends, to serve in her own ways and to live out God's purpose for her.
After a chat, we went to take photos together. It's quite funny to have the "tiang" thing in the middle and we have to post around it. Now to think back, I can still laugh... haha... We designed the photos til I almost forgot that I'm actually working. =p I went back to office around 3.15pm. Finished up my work and clocked out at 3.30pm. I drove back to my aunt's house, transferred my stuff into her car and prepared to leave. Unfortunately.... I fell down when I walked into their house. That's my first Angpow of the year. I got bruises on my feet, my knee, my waist and a cut on my elbow. Haih... Why am I always so clumsy?
I enjoyed having a ride with my aunt's family. They are all funny people. My uncle Edmund, my aunt, my cousin brother Marc and Thad and my cousin sister Sarah. We laughed all the way til we reached Butterworth. Luckily the traffic was still not that bad as we left earlier before people finished work and start heading the road. It took us 4 and a half hour to reach Butterworth.
We went for dinner together with my family in one of my favourite restaurant "Ong Lai". I ate my favourite Salad Prawn. Yummy... so long didn't eat already. :-)
Wednesday morning, I woke up early to go to the saloon. I seriously needed a hair cut. I thought it was supposed to be RM10x2=RM20 but it ended up RM15x2=RM30. Anyway, it's the CNY price and I can't complain about it. Who ask me to cut hair at this kind of time? Anyway, i'm quite happy with this hair cut. No complains...
My family and I went to the Big A Cafe which my brother is now working in. He's the main chef in this new cafe and he's in-charge of the whole kitchen, from purchasing to preparing timetable for all his manning in kitchen, from cooking to thinking of new recipes and new menus. I tried the Ham Omelette and I was impressed by his cooking. It's just a simple omelette but yet it taste very nice. I'm very proud of him. At least now he knows what he's doing and he's doing what he wants to do.
Went back home to clean my wardrobe. Took out all the clothes and "filter" through it. I realized there are still so many clothes that I wore since Form 1 that I still keep and I can still wear. I realized that I have more than enough clothes. I still have so many clothes that I can never finish wearing it. I have decided not to buy clothes for this year unless necessary.
We then went to my grandma's house to prepare for our yearly reunion steamboat dinner. It's always "amazed" to see how scary my family eat. This year we added another table, so it's a longer table now with more dishes on it. I like steamboat with tomyam. This year, my uncle video cam the whole reunion dinner. My uncle will be going to China with my grandparents. They will be going back to visit my grandparents' relatives. They want to bring back all these videos to show them about our family and our life here. Video cam the reunion dinner... funny but it was fun.
As usual, every CNY eve there'll be this live TV show from China. Their performances are always nice to watch. All of us will be sitting in front of the TV to watch it together until 12 and to countdown together.
My grandpa will be the first one to give us Angpow once the clock struck 12. The tradition says that this first Angpow, which normally given by the eldest person in the family (in my case, my grandpa) on the CNY eve and we are not supposed to open the Angpow but put it under the pillow to sleep on it. I'm not sure what's the story behind but this is what they told me since very young.
This year CNY eve nobody was playing cards. All of us stand at the porch and had a great chat. I think this is more meaningful than to play cards or gamble. It's not easy for a family to gather together like this. It's definitely better to chat and laugh together. :-) I really enjoyed my CNY eve this year.
Thursday, First day of CNY. We woke up late as per tradition =p, woke up around 12noon. Wore our new clothes and go find all the gold jewellery that my grandma gave. We only get to wear gold jewellery once a year. Got ready everything and we went to grandma's house which is just 15minutes drive away.
Had lunch. I really love my grandma's cooking. Even though this year most of the dishes my uncle cooked while she "instructed", it's still my grandma's cooking. I really appreciate that my uncle actually willing to learn and cook for us. My grandma is not feeling well and has been weak lately. She can't remember things.
In the afternoon, I taught my cousins "bridge". They enjoyed the game. :-) It's much better than letting them join the adult in gambling. I guess I did something great this year by teaching them "bridge".. haha... (trying to justify myself =p)
At night, we had pot luck. Every family has to bring or cook a dish. We started this practise 2 years ago as my grandma can't cook for so many of us anymore. Every family will try their very best to cook their best dish for everyone. Yummy! After dinner, continue "bridging". I didn't really play because I taught them and they are more than 4 of us.
Friday, 2nd day of CNY. As usual, we woke up late. Mum already planned to leave the house by 11am, but it's just impossible because we can only wake up by 11.30am. :-) We went over to Island to my mum's side. My maternal grandma is already 82 years old and she's still looking strong. She's still as humourous as she always is. We had lunch there, chat for awhile and then went to 2 other aunties' house. We can only sat and chat for awhile as we had to rush back for the BBQ. Of course we collected all the angpow before leaving.. hehe...
Evening, went back to my paternal grandma's house to have BBQ dinner. This is our custom since long long time ago, I can't even remember when we didn't have BBQ for the 2nd day of CNY. All these while we had this because my grandma doesn't need to call. Everyone will have to cook for themselves if they want to eat. Since the pit is not very big and can't afford to have 30 over people standing around it, normally each family will send a representative to BBQ the food for us. :-) This year, my dad was the one!
Since my grandparents and my uncle is going back to China to visit some relatives, we decided to take a simple family photo. The last one we took in the studio was 1995. This year, using our own camera, in front of the house, wearing shorts and slippers, we took our family photo. Every one was around! It's quite a big difference from the last family photo we took in 1995. Our family has expanded quite a lot, not only in numbers but also in SIZE!!!
I rushed out to yum-cha with my 2 best buddies. I fetched them and we went to a new cafe called Sundays Cafe. It has been quite a long while that 3 of us get together. We were close friends since Form 2 and they will always be my close friends. Some friends, you don't have to see each other often, but you know that deep in our heart, we have a very important place for one another. Sometimes, you don't have to so much, you just need to listen to their voice or look into their eyes and it says ALL. We took quite a lot of photos too.. hehe.. 3 of us also like to take photos a lot. :-)
Saturday, 3rd of CNY. I have to pack my stuff again, not only my stuff but also my emotion to go back to PJ. It's always hard to say goodbye with my family, especially to look into my parents' eyes. I can see their concern and their love for me through their eyes every time we say goodbye. It's tough. Every time I have to control myself not to cry.
Luckily we chose to come back on Sat. The traffic was clear. We reached PJ in 4 hours time, which means I can still make it to Uncle Weng Oon's house for dinner and to see the Lion Dance performance. I had lots of steamboat. I got to play with Emilyn and Ervin. Even though I was quite bored after that. Nothing to do or rather don't know what to do, but I just don't feel like going home. Uncle Weng Oon's house is the place where I feel home. I always like to go to their house, it makes me feel home, a very warm place.
Sunday, after church, I met Chor Yan. She came to Life Chapel. She's just married end of Jan and she's only 25. After that, I went to Dim Sum with church friends. The same place in DJ. I don't like the place. I think the Dim Sum is really horrible, but I have to follow majority.
After brunch, Aliza, Mun On and Kok Chong came over to my house to play bridge. It was really fun. I really like playing bridge with them. I had lots of fun, laughed a lot. :-) We not only played, but also talked and shared stories, which makes it so much fun!!!!
At night, I went to Jo's house for steamboat dinner again. Aliza and I bought the Tomyam and we enjoyed the steamboat soup with Tomyam.
I enjoyed my CNY this year. Had lots of food and fun. It's just so nice to get have holiday and just relax and have fellowship with people whom I love and care. Too bad, good time is always short. I have to go back to work!! Lots of work piling up!! That's the consequence of having long (not really long actually) holiday.
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