The Chronicles of My CNY '08

It's the Year of Rat! Cartoon characters like Mickey & Minnie, Jerry (of Tom & Jerry fame) are among some of the famous characters that adorned the red packets this year. Some even had Ratatouille on them! I wonder who will make it to the red packets next year... The Year of Cow (of Cow & Chicken's fame??? Eeeee).

Jerry, Mickey, Minnie, unknown mouse but the Giraffe's from Toys "R" Us

This Lunar New Year is/will be a pretty simple affair 'coz my family is still in mourning (1 year period) - my dear Grandma passed away only last July. That, and also the fact that most of my relatives abroad (Aussie mainly) couldn't make it back on time this year around. But hey, am not gonna just let all these dampen my 'CNY mood'! Hehe.

The Deco

Some CNY deco... Very simple.

Nin 30 - My Reunion Lunch + Dinner

My mom initially joked about ordering KFC (??!!!) for reunion lunch / dinner... I gasped! LOUDLY! I went "How can? No, no, no...I want my Hainanese Chicken Rice and Fish Maw Soup"! And guess what i've got exactly that and more for my reunion lunch! For dinner, i had steamboat... courtesy of MomDad! Didn't eat that much though...i felt full already from the lunch.

Some of the stuffs i've had for Nin 30's Reunion Lunch/Dinner... Doesn't do any justice to the feast i had - was too busy eating till i forgot to take pictures.

Dad, Mom, Sis, Me, Bro, Aunt GK (returned from S'pore), Uncle Wee (returned from Aus) Where's my 2nd sis?? Let's just say she's 'too shy' to be in the picture! *LOL*

Chor 1 - Chor 5 (7th - 11th Feb)
The chronicles + highlights...

• I fall SICK! Yes... on Chor 1. I went to sleep earlier than usual 'coz i need to get enough sleep before the drive back to my mom's hometown in Jelutong, Penang! And boy... i was having one of the worst fever ever experienced. Felt hot & cold at the same time! I went from switching off the air-con to moving out of the bed onto the sofa in the middle living room and layering myself with blankets AND comforters with a fan that's on "2" or something. FYI, i'm a person who prefers cold anytime... than hot! Putting the fan on "2" is usually torturous but was i feeling darn cold that night. I was thinking "There goes my trip back to Penang....(-_-) "
• I persevered... i went ahead with the trip. Was feeling all fine throughout the journey except for the occasional nausea feeling. Nope, i didn't throw up. I even get to drove quite a stretch! Hahaha... Me dad was making noise.. asking me and sis to slow down when we hit 80 - 100 km/h. But goodness, when he took over... he went all the way to 120 - 130 km/h. Us (including mom) have to kept telling him to slow down.. even shouting at times! Hahaha. Funny stuff.
  
• Finally reached the scenic Penang bridge after 5 hours or so.
  
  
  
  
• I got sick AGAIN after 1-2 hrs in Penang... and i ended up trying to sleep off my fever (and getting a good sweat) and was on the bed till night comes. I even MISSED MY GRANDMA's FAMOUS STEAMBOAT DO!!! Everyone was busy helping themselves to the mushrooms (loads of them!), fish, chicken, veges, and of coz the very tasty soup... and there i was, trying to breathe properly through my mouth, popping pills in my attempt to bring my temperature down. Nothing worked to make me get out of the bed... Saddening. A great start to new year? Not quite i guess.... (-_-,) Conclusion = no food for the day. I dropped 2-3 kg (good news? Haha, maybe). I got well by Day 2... but still keeping tabs at my medications... the weather was deadly!
  
• I practically spent the new few days in Penang.... Eating, eating, eating and more eating. Yes, though in smaller amounts than what i can usually handle. Haha. So, this year, for a change, instead of putting on the kilos during CNY... i actually lost some! Below... a picture of typical Hokkien CNY food... prepared by my aunts! And of coz, visited my relatives in Balik Pulau, Sungai Nibong, Kulim (yes, Kedah!), etc...
• I even attended my grandpa's younger sister's funeral on Sunday before i returned to KL on Mon noon. Took part in the procession - walked quite a distance. The last trip for her... She was 85. Passed away on Nin 30... You know the saying "It's difficult for old / sick people to usher in Chinese New Year" or "Lou yan ka hou kan nan kor san nin" ?? I think it's pretty true. My grandpa passed away in 2001, on the 10th day of CNY... someone i know, his mom passed away too on recently (Nin 29), my Godfather's mom passed away on Nin 29 also and a friend of my uncle's... actually attended his CNY party on Chor 1 and passed away in the wee hrs of Chor 2, got involved in an accident - A case of drink and drive. Haih... Sad. May you all rest in peace. K, enough about that. Don't wanna get all sad now... Let's move on to happier moments!
  
• K, I'll just let the pics do the talking.
  
  
  Very old family photo... I am the toddler with my mom, behind my grandpa.
  
  

  

Typical Hokkien fare in the Tan/Ch'ng's household

With the Doberman puppies @ my Uncle's in Kulim. He breeds dogs (^_^)

Swimming at 'Ee Po's' House @ BaysWater Condominium (opp Tesco)

At Gurney's Drive

That's about it... my CNY in Penang. How was yours? Do tell me about it. I missed several 'Pai Nin Outing With Friends' in KL *boohoo*. Hope i didn't miss too much... Can't wait to meet up with some of my buddies.

Final Year Project + Assignment? Aiya, couldn't be too bothered for now (which is BAD!!!... it's so gonna get me, SOON! and Midterm's on 29/2.. .*sweat*). Till then, here i am again, wishing all of ya, a very Prosperous Chinese New Year!

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