I was aghast looking at the back of my crown in the mirror the night before my birthday. More white strands! Eeeeks… I cringed. My birthday was approaching and this is not something I wish for. M2 came into the bathroom and I told her.
She chuckled and said, “People get white hair when they get older, you get them when you get younger.”
I will be like, what? 39, I asked her.
No she said. I will be forever 38.
Aww…
Chinese New Year is officially over with Chap Goh Meh celebrated last Thursday; Chap Goh Meh being the 15th day of the Lunar New Year calendar. Mom insisted on feeding the family with a home-cooked meal during the gathering on Thursday, a workday instead of going out for the occasion.
It was a great time and the last time for M1 to savor the home cooking and cherish the times before she goes off to college. And as if this family time together was not enough, my sibling scheduled Sunday to meet again for yet another meal! He wanted to give her a farewell dinner and yesterday was the only window every family member could make it.
The dinner was fancy, at a restaurant in the heart of the city. We had fine Malay food which was really good. It’s not often we make this choice but I think it’s apt. It will be a flavor M1 will miss.
What was even more special was the dessert that came after the meal. M1’s cousin, K1, painstakingly stayed up until the wee hours of the morning the day before to bake it for her. Such love. It was supposed to be a farewell cake. However, when the cake was brought out, the restaurant automatically blared out the standard ‘Happy Birthday’ song! It was hilarious as we all sang along. Heheh…
Such good memories especially for M1. Time is moving too fast.
Although I have been mindful of my weight, I would not give last night’s dinner occasion a miss. It was a gathering with my old school friends. And when I say old, our friendship goes back to the dinosaur era when we were 7 years old. Told you we are dinosaurs.
Since it’s still Chinese New Year, all the more reason to meet up, chatter to catch up, enjoy a good meal and exchange Angpows (red packets) for the children! We took the opportunity to have the ‘Yee Sang’ for prosperity with all the good wishes recited poetically by the waitress and also had the ‘Poon Choy’ dish, which roughly translates to a bowl of everything. Very filling despite it being just one bowl.
Dinner gatherings with old school friends are unlike dinners with golf friends but both are always enjoyable. I only wish the school friends would do it as often as the golf friends. Friendship prevails when we make the effort.
Maybe after the festivity is over, we will prioritize meeting up more often, like hubby and his (and also my) friends with our Tuesday Food Club. After all, we have to eat. And why not eat with good old friends?
I knew I gained some weight when we took Chinese New Year family pictures because looking at myself in the group shots, on both sides of the family, I cringe with disdain at how I looked. And both times, I sucked my tummy in but I guess it didn’t work.
Gosh, is that really me? I gotta stop eating despite the gaping hole in my molar!
When we got home on Saturday after a nine hours and 45 minutes journey (yes, traffic was horrendous), I stood on the bathroom scale and cringed again.
The scale must be lying! I can’t be this heavy. Ooohh… with Chinese New Year being celebrated for 15 days and just about everyday, there is a big meal because it is a celebration, I better do something about the weight gain than just sucking the tummy in…
Two days ago, we left our home early for the Reunion Dinner at hubby’s hometown up north. In the early hours of the morning to avoid the anticipated massive jam, we thought this was best to avoid arriving late. All these years we have never left at 6.30am on the day itself, as it is usually a day or two earlier. Typical times when we leave home at this hour are only to catch a flight at the airport or going for a 7.30am tee off golf game.
Anyway, being so early, breakfast had to be on the go. I was chewing on a doughy piece of bread with nuts when suddenly, I felt a sensitiveness at the back of my mouth. Oh dear.
I probed the bottom left side with my tongue and to my horror, discovered a gaping hole in my lower molar! Did I just swallow a portion of my tooth? Or was it the filling? What bread was that that caused the tooth to crack?
Dear, oh dear. Being away for several days without immediate rectification work on it by my dentist, it will be a challenge to savor all the delicacies this reunion has to offer.
And because it’s Chinese New Year and we cannot be rude or not obliging to the family, it’s been an eat ’em and weep experience so far.
Today is the beginning of the Year of the Goat in the Chinese Lunar calendar. May the year bring abundance prosperity, happiness and peace in the world.
Here’s wishing all a Happy and Prosperous New Year or in various dialects (Mandarin, Cantonese, Teochew & Hokkien): Gong Xi Fa Cai, Kong Hey Fatt Choy, Sin Chia Ju Ee and Kiong Hee Huat Chai!!!
The reunion dinner is very important for Chinese families during Chinese New Year. All, if not most, family members will make the effort to be present for this occasion if possible. Every year, hubby and I alternates this duty with our parents, even years with my mom here and odd years with his parents at their hometown. This year, it will be with his parents.
And every year when we have to hit the road, the typical four and a half hours journey doubles in its duration because half the country will also be traveling either for this occasion or simply take this opportunity to go away for a road trip holiday. It gets worse upon return because that half of the country that travelled earlier decides to return all at the same time, clogging up the highway all the way; there was a year we took 10 hours to reach home.
With such ghastly hours, I dread the journey sometimes but it has to be done. So we brace ourselves with all comforts thrown in: iPods, iPads and phones fully charged for entertainment and connectivity, several powerbanks for backup power for the devices, lots of snacks and water for survival. It can be fun sometimes but only if we make it so. The girls would bring along pillows and blankets to make their travel more comfortable.
Well, we can’t really tell the traffic volume until we hit the road tomorrow and regardless of the duration—be it five, seven or ten hours—we will be there for the reunion dinner with hubby’s side of the family.
Today is yet another public holiday, celebrating Thaipusam, but it feels like a weekend because we lined up activities that we normally reserve for the weekend. We did not want to stay in Penang until today knowing we will be caught in a big traffic jam upon our return, hence the journey back yesterday.
The next big festivity coming up is Chinese New Year or the Lunar New Year. It is approaching fast and there isn’t much time left to prepare for it. I should be doing my New Year shopping but as always, am procrastinating. It’s the same every year, Queen of last minute.
I may go fight with the crowd this coming weekend to settle the preparations once and for all.
Last Friday, I posted my 500th entry in my blog! What a milestone. When I started this, I didn’t think I would have so much to write. Then again, when one has a clown of a dog, two amazing kids and a somewhat interesting life, there is much to say.
However, credit must also be given to my readers and supporters who has constantly been very supportive of my efforts. Thanks much. Here’s towards the next milestone target!
Monday was a good day. Two significant things happened; one being my parcel from Blundstone arrived from Tasmania, Australia when I least expected it. What can I say? Customer service at its best here. Thank you!
The second being my M1 turned 18 years old.
Gosh. Wasn’t it just yesterday I was seated at the sofa in mom and dad’s home watching Mulder and Sculley in action in yet another weekly X-Files TV show? Then I had my contractions. Uh-oh… It’s time.
The next thing I knew, I was at the hospital, ready to welcome my firstborn. Scared, excited, anxious, nervousness all rolled in. Hubby was like, “Don’t breathe that in!”
That, being the laughing gas. I was in too much pain then to curse him and passed the point for an epidural (I did, cursed him that is, the second time around when M2 came along). Then wham, bam, kabam, we became parents to a 3.04kg bundle of joy. Wow.
The last 18 years has been a roller coaster ride. The many emotions felt dealing with a very strong minded child… yet despite the challenges, we have been very blessed with a very smart child.
All grown up now and ready for college and the world. I can just feel another white hair readying itself to sprout out from my crown…
Okay enough, I am going bawl my eyes out.
The parcel arrived!
So exciting!
Happy birthday to you!
Angieneering 
Remarks