Tag Archives: Chinese New Year

Change in Pattern, Part 2

20 Feb

My hopes for a six hours drive home yesterday was not to be as my estimates were way off! The drive home was just super duper long.

It started out smoothly but only for awhile. Traffic then became so heavy and got worst, culminating with a standstill situation on the freaking highway and a crawl at 10km/h, sometimes 30km/h for a good part of the journey for no apparent reason. Ridiculous. And it rained, making the drive more tiring. All in all it took us nine and a half hours to reach home.

This is part and parcel of Chinese New Year – the traffic crawl besides the food and family. Because it’s only a once-a-year experience, we take it in stride. If not, we’d never go back for the occasion. Thank goodness, we had food, drinks, music, devices, cables and power banks to keep us entertained during the long drive home.

Anyway, enough of the driving ordeal, what’s more important was the activities we did during the four days in hubby’s hometown which was a change in pattern from previous years.

Besides the food and rest, we managed to play two rounds of golf instead of just one round. During the first game at Darul Aman Golf Club, I lost my nine iron and discovered the loss almost immediately. I absent-mindedly left it somewhere on the fairway approaching the green at Hole One. Amazingly I wasn’t too upset and rationalized I did not need it, save for a couple of shots, and managed for the rest of the game.

It was the heat that got to me more than the loss honestly. After the game, we reported the loss and thank goodness, the club was found and returned within a short time. Phew… relief. I had contemplated my options if it wasn’t returned. An excuse for a new set perhaps? Hmm…

The next day, we played at a different course, Royal Kedah Club and after two days of back-to-back games, I’m happy to say there was no pain felt on the limbs. In other words, no recurrence of the tennis elbow. A good sign indeed considering I was using just all my irons for both games. No driver, woods or hybrid clubs at all.

The change in pattern also saw us catching the latest Marvel Comics’ superhero movie, Black Panther which was refreshing and very entertaining. And we visited a plant enthusiast whom hubby befriended on Facebook and got to see his eye-popping huge staghorn ferns at his farm. Hubby bought two staghorns from his new friend and promised to visit again on our next trip.

And this year, we start work on the Fifth Day of Chinese New Year instead of the Sixth Day which has been the norm for us for years. Definitely a change in pattern for the Year of the Dog.

img_2457

Lovely blue skies and paddy fields on the right

img_2467

One of the many meals the family had

img_2503

The big staghorn ferns and the two purchased smaller ferns mounted on wood

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Reunion Dinner 2018

15 Feb

Yesterday was our last day at work before we break for Chinese New Year and boy was it a busy day. I managed to clear most of my work – the boombox in the office has been inspirational, and looking forward to a stress-free break. I’m sure I am not the only one with this feeling.

Reunion Dinner 2018 is sans M1 again with the occasion at my sibling’s home. Every year it’s a debate whether to have this auspicious gathering at home or in a Chinese restaurant and many a time, the choice of having it at home outweighs the eating out choice. This is because the Chinese restaurants will hold two dinner sessions for families and this feels very rushed. Imagine having to eat an eight-course dinner within a hurried and noisy environment. Whereas at home, it’s at a leisurely and comfortable pace.

I hear these days some restaurants are now even doing three dinner sessions capitalising on the occasion! Well, however it is done, it is an all important gathering for the Chinese. We look forward to the Year of the Dog tomorrow to usher in a prosperous and healthy year ahead!

Tags: , , , ,

Getting the Priorities Right

13 Feb

My goodness, it suddenly hit me that Chinese New Year is three days away! And I am so not prepared. The customary red cloth is finally up, but no further festive decors in the house because I chose to carve instead!

I have not stocked up my fridge with real food because there’s chocolate and candies hogging the space. And hubby bought drinks to fill the fridge – beer and more beer plus some soft drinks, all of which I cannot consume. Wait a second, I shouldn’t be thinking of drinking any alcohol with my current situation. Furthermore, the drinks are for visiting guests during the festivity! Need to get my priorities right here…

To add to my unpreparedness, I have not even started packing for the trip up North to hubby’s hometown on the First Day of Chinese New Year although I made the effort to pack my golf set. My priorities seem to be skewed.

So this year, the Reunion Dinner will be with Mom and my sibling and his family. Only M1 remains absent as she is still in the US. Nonetheless, it will be a boisterous affair with lots to eat and drink with everyone around but poor me, I have to be careful on my intake in case there’s a reaction. At least I am getting my priority right on this.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Finally It’s Done

12 Feb

Over the weekend, we finally pushed ourselves to get ready for Chinese New Year. And when I say get ready, it means putting up the customary red cloth at the entrance of the house. Finally it’s done. Yay. But am I ready for the upcoming festivity?

I think I am looking forward more to the break to relax and do nothing because lately, work has been overwhelming and a break is much needed. As for the festivities, merry-making and food, it will be a challenge to manage because my intestines are still a bit sensitive.

I have gone a week without coffee and somehow doing well. And watching what I eat, I have lost 1.5kgs already as a result of all this extra precaution. Who knows in three months’ time, I would lose a few more kilos! Let’s see how I hold up with during Chinese New Year.

Tags: , , ,

No Onions Please

6 Feb

Recently I was diagnosed with Infectious Colitis. Not life threatening but generally very uncomfortable. All this while I thought it was the usual monthly cramps getting more severe with age but no, it was them bacterias in my intestines all this time, having a wild party every now and then to create an unbearable pain and discomfort.

I was prescribed antibiotics for a week and it had been okay, no side effects from the meds. Because it was abdominal cramps and not diarrhoea, the doctor did not advise me what food to avoid and neither did I bother to check thoroughly although I have been careful on the choices which were nothing too extreme.

So almost a week after the colonoscopy procedure, I was fine and on the road to recovery; I even played a round of golf four days later. But I had the most unfortunate and unsuspecting setback yesterday.

I had a very nauseating spell all because I had some onions for lunch. It triggered a reaction a few hours later and was the most horrid sensation. Initially I didn’t know what it was until I got home and laid horizontal for a few hours to recuperate before going online to check.

I figured it’s best to know what I should avoid to minimize my discomfort because with Chinese New Year just around the corner, there’s bound to be a lot of eating, drinking and merry-making.

To my horror, the list included coffee, cereal, nuts, alcohol, chocolate, spicy food and of course onions, with limited intake of milk, ice cream, cheese and a whole lot of other stuff but the first three items on the list horrified me to no end!

It’s not so much of what I can eat (white bread, ugh!) but what to avoid. No coffee, cereal and nuts, my breakfast and snack staples? And no alcohol, chocolate and spicy food, my life! For at least three months! Oh dear…

I try to look at the brighter side of the situation; I will definitely shed some pounds. And unless I want to be constantly feeling bloated or nauseous, I better be disciplined about my food intake. And definitely no onions please.

Tags: , , ,

The Un-Sploot

5 Feb

You know Chinese New Year is around the corner when the weather turns scorching hot and unbearable! It’s so hot that even Rooney, official pet number one can’t take it, lying down in the oddest position at the garden terrace to stay comfortable!

Forget the sploot, this position is better to chill. Poor fella…

IMG_2372.jpg

 

Tags: , ,

Where Did Time Go?

2 Feb

We had two public holidays in a row in the middle of the week, Wednesday and Thursday. And suddenly, it’s February already! My… my… where did time go? While it was nice to have a two-day break, honestly, it’s wasting precious time when another long holiday is coming up soon.

This year, the Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year falls on 16th February and as usual, I am unprepared. With work catching up and the urgency to finish up as much as possible before we break for the holiday, I find myself hardly having any time to prepare for the festivities. Throw in my carving and wanting to play golf, 24 hours in a day is simply insufficient to prepare. Sigh…

Tags: , , , , ,

It’s Not the Chocolate

24 Feb

Somehow marbles in a gum ball machine does not sound quite right. So I didn’t go ahead with the idea. I was mulling why I gained weight over the past three months. Yes there was the eating and drinking during the holidays and festivities which I don’t deny but I don’t think it was excessive. Maybe just richer and more hearty than my usual intake plus the lack of exercise played a part.

Then it dawned on me that the main culprit for the unwanted weight gain was the snacking on Chinese New Year titbits in between meals. Yes in between meals. Hah! I should know better that this is indeed bad but I couldn’t help myself.

Resistance has been futile towards the fried seaweed, pineapple tarts, peanut cookies and love letters! Oh… those love letters… so good. These once-a-year yummies are a must-eat during Chinese New Year whereas chocolates are not necessary must-eats but mood dependent. So laden with sugar those titbits, don’t expect to not gain weight.

Thank goodness the festivities are over and the cookies are almost gone, I should get back to shape in no time.

And to comfort myself that it’s not the chocolate’s fault, I bought not one but two bags of M&M’s because I know I will not eat them at the pace like I do with love letters. Thoughts of filling up my gum ball machine crossed my mind. Hmm…

  

Tags: , , , ,

The Popping Tuna

23 Feb

During Chinese New Year, the pet shop was closed and we were not able to buy live prawns to replenish for Meow-meow the arowana and Tuna the crayfish to eat. But luckily, there were some leftover clever ones hiding in Meow-meow’s big aquarium. So hubby was able to fish out one or two for Tuna to survive on.

By the fifth day of Chinese New Year, I noticed Tuna was not very active and most likely conserving energy. Every time I walked passed the little aquarium, he would be hiding in his little pot. He would not rush out with his claws raised as if to frighten me even when I squinted at it. A morbid thought crossed my mind: he was dying a slow death because of hunger! Yikes.

Thankfully by the sixth day (of Chinese New Year), the pet shop opened and we were able to replenish the food. And after several days, Tuna’s back to its old self again, flaring his claws at me whenever I walked near his abode.

One evening, he was about to do the same thing to me when his actions backfired. As he rushed towards me, the overhanging fake tree tickled him and suddenly, he was popping like a popcorn instead! It was rather funny.

Maybe we should not straighten the tree to its original upright position so that Tuna can pop and not lunge at me whenever I get close! Hehehe…

Tags: , , , ,

The Gum Ball Machine, Part 2

10 Feb

After much thought about the M&Ms for my gum ball machine, I have decided not to fill it up. Sigh… A friend suggested to mix the plain ones and the peanut ones if I was undecided. What a brilliant idea! Tempting, very tempting but I have to go on diet and having a chocolate dispensing machine within my reach may thwart my plans.

The Chinese New Year celebration is almost over with one last Chap Goh Meh dinner with Mom and my sibling’s family tomorrow night, so I have to stay disciplined and go ahead with the diet intention.

I need to lose all that weight gained from the constant eating since December last year when M1 came home for Christmas. Also because I feel a psychological expansion of my waistline when I put on my only pair of Levi’s and it feels tight. Not good especially when the Levi’s is those stretchy ones. Thank goodness, I was back at the gym earlier in the week to get things going.

So for now, the gum ball machine remains a decorative item and not a chocolate dispensing machine. But… me being me, I couldn’t resist the chocolate temptation and gave in to getting a small packet of M&Ms. I reasoned that the diet starts only next week, a little now wouldn’t hurt. Weakling.

  

Tags: , , , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →