Lovey Dovey Dovey

Today is Valentine's Day. Strangely enough, I do not yearn so much for the usual flowers, gifts, extra attention...hmmm...maybe it is because Hubby has always been attentive and I never really cared much about this since ....well, I suppose since my early 20s. I wonder why. Maybe in the process of growing up, one just grows out of it. But that doesn't mean I won't be happy if Hubby surprises me. But then again, he's not the kind for surprises. Rather he will ask me straight in the face "I want to buy you XXX. What color do you want?"

Which was how he did it last month when he got me my limited edition Product RED IPOD. He said it is an early Valentine present. :)))))

So this morning, when I walked by the office lobby and saw baskets of red roses and chocolates ready for delivery to all those lucky ladies upstairs, I just told myself....naaahh....my IPOD will last longer than those....:PPPP

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!

!!!

OMG the lion dance troupe is literally trying to bang down our gate because we have it shut. I dare not peek out the window. OMG where the heck are these people from????!! I think we should be quiet at home....R E A L L Y quiet.....shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhush....

P/S. I still think it is rather rude to not let them in?

The Art of Giving

I am a bit confused over this new status of being a missus, particularly during festive seasons like the Chinese New Year. Our family had always been fiercely private about family gatherings. Family means family only. Not that we are unfriendly, okay probably to outsiders it seems like it, but it is more like we're kinda shy people. I do not know what happened to me - I love hosting and cooking up a storm for close friends though. Okay CLOSE friends only - that ANTI-SOCIAL trait still lives somewhere in my blood. But actually it is more like I hate cleaning up after big social gatherings at our home.

Anyway, not having much experiences with parties and open houses and whatever during my growing up years, I have absolutely no idea how to deal with this giving of ang pows tradition (to people other than family) now that I am expected to. So I checked with my friend Ah Szen.

Me: Tomorow I go open house makan (eat)
Ah Szen: Tomorrow when you go open house must give ang pow already hehe
Me: Ya I give to the host's grandson
Ah Szen: Must bring extra for all the other children
Me: HAH?
Ah Szen: Of course la....you married already mah
Me: Even if they are strangers?
Ah Szen: Yah la...all kids
Me: But it is an open house leh. Any Ah Kiong, Muthu and Ali will walk in and makan. How do I give everyone? I don't even know them!
Ah Szen: I think must la.
Me: Sure or not...
Ah Szen: I think my mom used to give
Me: I thought to family and the host only
Ah Szen: Everyone la. You bao a small amount only
Me: Sure or not?

Anyway I ended up only giving to the host's grandson and the daughter of a colleague whom I know well. The rest weren't even chinese and I didn't see anyone else digging their pockets for red enveloped for them. So I went with the crowd.

Masak-Masak

Still a few hours to go before I start cooking for the new year eve dinner. I am suddenly very excited about this coming festivities.

We've got the fridge stocked up....



















...sambal belacan freshly made - must-have for steam boat tonight....














...and the soup slowly bubbling on the stove. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmy...














In the background, the radio is blasting away with an assortment of Chinese new year tunes. Gong Xi Fa Cai is in the air!

Eve of Chinese New Year in Miri

Weather forecast: Rain early in the morning

Wind: Very strong

Roads: Slippery

Recommended activities: Stay indoors, sleep, don't go to work.










But yours truly had to get out of bed at 6.30am, with wind-swept hair (not the sexy type..) and brave the showers to go to the market to get precious meat balls and 'yong tau foo' (before they run out) for dinner tonight. The things I do to ensure hubby gets a good meal tonight...sigh....










A slow drive back. With meat balls and 'yong tau foo' safely tucked in the basket.

A Quarter Day Today

I am taking 5 minutes to blog this from my office desk now. It is nearly 10am and our manager just strolled by to chase us back home.

It is the eve of the lunar new year today and the office carpark is half empty. Outside, rain is pouring steadily....quite an un-Chinese New Year Eve kinda day. My experiences of this celebration had always come hand-in-hand with the scorching heat and still breeze-less days of February in Alor Setar. It seems a pleasant change, although I am a little worried about our red lanterns (hung from the porch) flapping furiously in the strong wind this morning.

Oh well, time to pack up and go. It is a quarter working day today. I am going home to start preparing for dinner tonight.

Woman, Wife and ...

Back in Penang last November, barely 10 minutes into my new status as a new family member of the Yeaps, I received many many many many many advice from the in laws, that we should get going and get myself knocked up ASAP! In fact, there were hopes that I should return this coming Lunar New Year with a baby bump.

EEEKK!!

How does one prepare for such things? I still roll about in my bed on Sunday mid mornings in PJs and eat cucumber sandwiches for dinner (sometimes...). How does someone like myself become totally responsible for another human being?

So Mad and Yet...

I am so mad at hubby! And yet the longer I stay mad at him, the longer I'll have to endure not having anyone to speak to at home....eerrgghhhh!!!