CNY - PART 1

I had been very busy during the Chinese New Year and after getting back to work, busier than what I expected and was very lazy too. Still in CNY mood. Think I better start 'cracking' if not, this blog will become stale news.

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I’m going to summarise the happenings of the Chinese New Year like what Jazzmint did (but I guess my summary will be a long-winded one).

CNY EVE
Went to eldest SIL’s place in Cheras to have reunion lunch. Youngest SIL and Hubby were not around – went for holiday in East Europe. Eldest SIL's daughter, Maggie, and her hubby joined us too. Hubby's family always practise having CNY reunion lunch instead of dinner cos MIL said after lunch we could go our ways either for last minute shopping or whatever we had yet to finish in the house.

CNY – DAY 1

Got up early to prepare ‘chye’ (vegetarian) dishes. Fried ‘chye duck’, cooked ‘chye’ – mushrooms, black fungus, dried water lily buds, glass noodles, long chinese cabbage, ‘meen kan’ (ball-shaped made from wheat flour) with fermented beancurd (lam yue) and fried cauliflower, sweet peas and carrots (forgot to take pics of the dishes). After cooking, brought the 3 dishes to my MIL’s place in Sri Petaling to have lunch together.

After having lunch, Pappy, Des and I went to Corrus Hotel in Jalan Ampang to pick up BIL and family from Singapore.

Helped MIL to prepare dinner. Everyone had another reunion dinner.

Eldest sister-in-law bake a cake for Cassandra’s (BIL’s daughter) 7th birthday. As usual Destinee will find her place in front of the cake. a

We oso had “Yue Sang” for the first time this year.

Destinee received angpows from Pappy, ‘mah mah’ (MIL), ‘ku mah’ (eldest SIL), ‘suk suk’ (BIL) and cousin Maggie jeh jeh (eldest SIL’s daughter). Des had a wonderful time there too – playing with (and bullying) her cousins.

CNY – DAY 2
Went back to hometown to my younger brother’s (Tuck) place in Seremban. The house was packed with my 3 uncles, aunty and 6 cousins (mother's side) and youngest sister (Kuen) with her 2 kids. We had steamboat celebration. We have this trend – to celebrate the 2nd or 3d day of CNY in one of our places. Last year was held in KL – my 2nd uncle’s turn. So, I suppose next year will be my turn. I don’t think my tiny apartment will be able to accommodate sooooo many people.

And as usual Destinee got more ang pows from her grand uncles and and grand aunty.

We left in the evening and went to MIL’s place to have dinner.

CNY – DAY 3
Picked BIL and family from MIL’s house to go visiting. Went to my hubby’s fren’s house in Sungai Long and later visited another fren in Sierra Mas. Had dinner outside, with 2nd round of "Yue Sang".

CNY – DAY 4
Sent BIL and family off to Puduraya in the morning. They went back to Singapore by bus and I was free for the rest of the day. At last, I had the chance to watch my TV programmes. Instead of eating outsite food, fried meehoon and boiled some sugar cane 'liong sui' instead for a change. Destinee's 'Kai Ma' (godmother), Zindee, came with a friend to 'pai nin' and we all had fried meehoon. Destinee got angpows from them.

CNY – DAY 5
Went to my neighbours's houses to ‘Pai Nin’. Destinee collected more angpows.

Prepared food for dinner tonite as my sis June was coming back from Hong Kong. Boiled her favourite ‘Choy Kon’ soup, Salted Chicken, Fried Long Chinese Cabbage with ‘Kum Wah Foh Thui’ (preserved ham for soup), Steamed Chinese Sausages with Potatoes.

We (Pappy, Destinee, Elyss and I) went to KLIA at about 3 p.m. to pick June (arrival of flight was at 5.55 p.m.) She came back alone as her hubby was back to work. We were so excited to see her.

June was glad to have home-cooked food as she doesn’t cook much in Hong Kong and she’s a workaholic. After dinner, as usual we will all ‘blahing, blahing and blahing’. She bought so many things back from Hong Kong esp. the ‘Hoi Mei’.

June got 2 Pingus and Destinee now has 3 Pingus altogether. But Des still prefers her little baby Pingu and she goes to sleep with it.

1 Papa, 1 Mama and 1 Baby – 1 HAPPY PINGU FAMILY!

CNY – DAY 6
Went shopping with June and Elyss at Sungei Wang Plaza. Shopped some clothes for my younger brother’s son and daughters and younger sis’s sons. Searched presents for my brother’s daughter’s 1st birthday which falls on the 4th February.

CNY – DAY 7
Packed our bags. Decided to have Dim Sum in Sri Petaling with Pappy, June, Destinee, Elyss, Eugene (Elyss’s hubby), Charlette (cucu) and 2 maids before we made our way to Malacca. Dropped by brother’s house in Seremban. They (younger brother, sis-in-law and their 3 kids, younger sis with her 2 sons) joined us for the trip to Malacca. So, dat made 17 of us! Went in two cars - Naza Ria and a Proton.

Reached Ayer Keroh's toll station and waited for SIL's fren to direct us to the resort cos nobody was familiar with Malacca. Thank u so muchie for the fren's help. Checked in at Riviera Bay Resort in Tanjong Kling – 2 suites (each suite has 2 rooms). Brother and sister's family were in one suite. My family, June, Elyss's family and the 2 maids were in another suite.

I remembered the last time (many years back) when I was in Riviera Bay Resort, the Resort was still new and and it looked fantastic but now after a few years, the Resort looked a bit 'old' and the rooms were not what I expected – to be comfortable. The outlook still looked okay though. The used-to-be white-coloured bedsheets were oredi yellowish if not getting a little greyish in colour. The beds were squeaking in some parts too. But other than those, everything seemed to be okay.

Riviera Bay Resort

After unpacking our stuffs, we were on our feet and off we went roaming the town of Malacca. The first thing on our minds was Jonker Street (Malacca's Chinatown) esp. the FOOD! We had our Chicken Rice Balls in the famous restaurant located at a corner.

Jonker Street

After roaming Jonker Street and having our Durian Cendol, we went straight back to the Resort. Everyone was tired esp. the kids. At about 9.30 p.m., everyone got ready to celebrate Tuck's youngest daughter, Wei Ying, 1st birthday.

Happy Birthday to u, Happy Birthday to u, Happy Birthday to Wei Ying, Happy Birthday to u!

After tucking the kids to sleep at about 11.30 p.m., left the kids with my youngest sister and maids, the rest went down to town again to a shop, opposite the Seventh Day Adventist Church, to have Satay Celup. It was like the normal steamboat but only dat u dip the stick of stuff into a pot of satay sauce. Everyone had in mind dat whether the sauce was clean or not but no one bothered as it was delicious.

CNY – DAY 8
Had breakfast in the hotel.

Destinee enjoying her breakfast

After resting for a while, off we went to the beach and swimming pool.

The Beach

The Sea

Playing on the beach

Playing in the pool

At about 1 p.m., brother and sister together with their family were ready to check-out. The were not able to join us for another day as the kids needed to attend classes the next day.

One for the album (or for the blog?)

We found our way to Mahkota Parade as I needed to meet up with Jess. Reached the place at about 2.30 p.m. As everyone was hungry, straight to the food court we went.

As I was ordering food, I received a call. Guess who? Ya, it was from Jess. I was so excited when I received her call and I told her dat I would meet her in a short while. We were supposed to meet at the play-place of McDonald. We had to make sure the kids finished their food before we could make a move. After the lunch, brother and sister with their family were on their way to Seremban.

I quickly made a dash with Pappy, Destinee, Elyss and Charlette to the place we were to meet up with Jess. When I reached the place, I called Jess and we were walking towards each other and immediately I recognised her. I was so happy to meet Jess. She was the first blogger I met. Upon reaching the play-place, I saw Wien and Mr. Mok was carrying Lyon. We exchanged angpows for the kids. Jess brought me a box of 'dau sar beng' and a packet of curry paste. Thanks a lot, Jess. We allowed the kids to play on their own while we chit-chatted. Guess the kids were not familiar with each other, so they just played and didn't speak to each other.

Wien jeh jeh with Destinee

Trust dat hubby of mine to forget to take a picture of Lyon ... sigh ...

After chatting for a while, we left as Destinee and Charlette were getting restless. So, we said goodbye to each other and hoped to meet each other again.

We intended to roam Malacca town but the 2 kids were too tired and so we went back to the Resort.

To be continued .........

P/s: Wow, really had a hard time loading the pictures.