Tag Archives: Lunar New Year

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!

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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.

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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.

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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…

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Auspicious Day

2 Feb

Today is the sixth day of the Lunar New Year and like all previous years, we officially return to work on this auspicious day.

What makes today even more significant is the fact that we start off the Year of the Fire Rooster at our new office!

Yes, we moved at the beginning of the year and I am very excited at this new beginning. May 2017 be filled with exciting and abundant design projects to be a happy and prosperous year indeed.

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Happy Monkey Year!

8 Feb

Today is the beginning of the Fire Monkey year and it is our first Chinese New Year without M1. Feels funny. Last night, we had the Reunion Dinner with my Mom and my sibling and his family at his home. And as always, the home-cooked food spread is the highlight (save for the purchased roast duck and Siew Yoke) and the family bonding time precious. Tossing the Yee Sang was fun.

Later today, we will head on up North to hubby’s hometown. I hope traffic will be kind because I have read about people taking nine hours on the road for a typical three and a half hour journey!

Then again, the exodus began last Friday and Saturday for the Reunion Dinner on Sunday night; it is Monday today and we shouldn’t be facing heavy traffic. Technically shouldn’t… We shall see.

Nonetheless, being on the road, we will drive safe and be there when we get there. Here’s wishing everyone a safe, peaceful and more positive year ahead. Gong Xi Fa Cai!

   
 

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Of Chap Goh Meh and Birthday Dinners

9 Mar

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.





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Let’s Eat!

26 Feb

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?





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But I Sucked the Tummy In!

24 Feb

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…

CNY2015(2)

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Eat ’em and Weep

20 Feb

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.

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