we'll write a song that turns out the lights

Mar 5, 2007

the KinG proclaimed at 9:50 PM

My 07' Chinese New Year!

I don't know about you guys but for me Chinese New Year spirit comes much earlier!I helped my mum to bake cookies and did some shopping.As usual I didn't get any new clothes.Somehow it's always like that.Though I have to say this year's Chinese New Year 'promotion' ain't that grand or anything.I mean usually the Tv and radio will be flooded with Chinese New Year advertisements and supermarket or shops and even companies compete against each other to be the best doing Chinese New Year promotion.Compared with years before, this year's nothing special.Add to that, I got a call from Ayertawar, Perak on Valentine's night.My Great-grandmother passed away.She passed away peacefully at the age of 90 that night to be with my Great-grandfather.
My family's actual plan was to go back on Saturday(17th March) but we went back on that Friday for the funeral of my Great-grandmother.

-Friday(16th February)-

My dad told us that we'll leave at 6am and that we were supposed to wake up latest by 5:30am.I couldn't sleep that night or should I say morning.It might be that something was bothering me.For one reason I have to say that this may be the worst Valentine's Day I ever had.So, I actually slept around 3 that morning and woke up 2 and a half hours later.To my surprise I was the earliest one to be up.And so I woke my parents up but not my sister( I leave that to my parents) and got ready for the journey back to Ayertawar, Perak.As usual the ladies in our house were late.So we started our journey only at 6:30am.Actually my dad wanted to use the Kuala Selangor road to avoid traffic jam but decided to use the highway last minute because we wanted to have our breakfast at Tapah rest area.haha.The traffic was smooth anyway.We reached Tapah around 8am.I don't have much picture of my journey, just two picture which I think was beautiful!

I love this picture! Everything's in the right place.Especially the sun!

I reached Ayertawar around 9:30am.We changed our clothes and walked around talking to our 'long-time-no-see' relatives.Just for your information, my great-grandmother has 16 children which means I have 8 grand-uncle and 8 grand-aunt.This is one of those times that I finally see every one of them gathered.At least that's what I think.I lost count while talking to them.The family is so big that I don't know how to call some of them.My grandfather wasn't there though.So as my grandmother because she has problem with her leg.
We had a service around 11+ with a priest that came all the way from Ipoh.We sent off my great-grandmother around 12+ by walking behind the funeral car just for a distance then we got into different cars.We went quite far to criminate her.We wore black and white clothings but actually we're supposed to wear bright colors for she passed away peacefully.
Anyway my family still did celebrated Chinese New Year because my mum married out of the family not into the family.So it's okay=).
We went Teluk Batik to shower then we went straight to Kampung Cina( If you want to ask, I'll probably answer - because everyone's chinese there?haha) for lunch.Kampung Cina is one of the most famous area in Malaysia for seafood.They have 'lala' as big as a fist but that depends on the season.
After lunch we head to Sitiawan which is 20 minutes away.The place I call hometown.I always stay with my 4th uncle of my father's side.This is another big and complicated family.Let's just skip that.That night we went to Fajar which is kind of like a mall to them.They do not have malls like Times Square or Sunway Pyramid or even Summit City but they are happy people.haha.I wanted to shop for some stuff but I found not interest ith the things there.Instead
my dad and I walked with the ladies...at the lingerie section! hahahaha.

-Saturday( 17th February)-

Woke up around 6+ to exercise with my dad and my nephew.Then wanted to go straight to the shop to have breakfast ( I love the noodles there.You can't get it anywhere.Only at my hometown.Trust me, you can't even get it anywhere out of my hometown.Once you eat it, you'll crave for more!) but my cousin had prepared the breakfast.I was kind of disappointed but I have no choice.Those shops closes during Chinese New Year.Some just for a few days, some much longer.My mum, aunt, cousin, niece and the maid started preparing lunch after they were done with breakfast.Let me just put it this way - The next thing you know after breakfast is lunch.You'll see dinner being serve right after lunch( I have to admit, I over-exaggerate it but let's just leave it that way.haha).By the way, the lunch they were preparing was the "Reunion Feast" or whatever people call it.I have to give credit to the ladies especially my aunt who cooks some of the best dishes ever.And Oh yea...they bought a packet of shark's fin.When I say a packet, it's actually 2 feet long which means it's BIG! That's not a big deal to them but I do pity the sharks for their fins end up in my stomach.My aunt will cook up half of the packet for EACH meal.Just give the credits to the ladies and know that their cooking were awesome and skip the rest.
After lunch my aunt, my mum and two of my cousins started giving red packets.Receiving red packets from them is more than visiting 10 houses for 10 years.I don't know if I exaggerated this but they are generous people.They bought lots of goods and gave it out at orphanage homes, old folk homes and etc.
I did nothing much on that day.Just did some usual gatherings with my relatives.Then as usual, we played some games in the evening then went 'rounding' around the area with motorcycle.The 'Kampung' style! haha.What's awesome about Chinese New Year's eve is the fireworks at 12.I do have some videos.To be exact, I have 8 videos but I have problem uploading it here.I need some professional help.In the mean time check out some pictures I took from Yahoo! which are like those that we saw.I bet some of you wouldn't believe me but it's true.These were some of the fireworks we saw.My cousin's( in-law) father is a firework/firecracker supplier.How awesome is that?! We got lots of them for free and some never before seen ones.

-Sunday( 18th February)- 1st day of Chinese New Year

Sorry but there ain't no church service but God was kept close to our heart.Usually we'll wake up early because we have many houses to visit in many different areas but we woke up kind of late since we don't have to visit most of the relatives of my mother's side.Not as in we don't visit.Just for Chinese New Year kind of thingy.Haizz.Complicated chinese tradition.
So we left the house at around 10:30 doing home visitation and listen to adults talking in "Fu Chow".Yes...I'm half "Fu Chow", half "Hokkien".More to "Fu Chow" though.Don't ask me anything about "Fu Chow" fishballs.While the adults talk, my sister and I will play with all the cute cute cute kids.Most of them my nephews and nieces.And we drank and eat lots of cookies.Eat, drink then pee.Yea..What do you expect? Chinese New Year! You got to try the cookies and accept the drinks.Then you got to go to the toilet.hahaha.
After we finished our home visitation we went for late lunch at "Kampung Cina" again.Now you know how much I love the seafood there? After that, we went to Giant supermarket( Yes, they do have a Giant there) to buy mandarin oranges to give away to my parent's workers from Vietnam.Once we got there( where the workers stayed), we distributed the oranges as they were staying in different rooms.Then you can hear my parents saying "Chung Man Nam Moi" which is 'Happy New Year' in Vietnamese.It was funny hearing them say that in the wrong phonetics.hahahaha.
We went back home straight after that.The weather's really killing me that time.Must be Cheryl! ( Ask Cheryl Leow if you want to know why?)
My cousin came back to Pera

k from Melaka in the evening with my nephew and nieces.

That's my niece( Tong tong).Before and after.haha.It's just last year and this year.

This is my nephew( Jun Hong).When he doesn't make faces, he look like Adam C.At least that's what I think.

That's my other niece( Chen Chen).The picture on the left was taken last year when she was 1 year old.Now she's 2! with hair.

There's more delicious meal and more fireworks that night! It's too bad I couldn't upload the video.We 'tahpow' some 'mamak mee goreng'( yup! there's mamak at my hometown) as everyone was hungry.

-Monday( 19th February)- Start counting yourself which day of CNY is it.

Woke up early to exercise.I do that every morning there.At least I think it's every morning.haha.It's just like any other usual day.My cousins, nephews and nieces came over.We chat, play, watch tv and all.Then guest will come and we'll received red packets.Usually there'll be no 'action' until night falls but I do enjoy the time that I spend with my nephews and nieces.Did I mention that they were cute? haha.

Just so that you know.I did not took their picture.They love to take pictures with my phone, without my permission.Like they even care.haha.Owh yea...The girl who's in almost every picture is my niece who 9 year's old and is her class monitor.I laughed at her! Couldn't help it.haha.And here are some of my the older ones.

The two girls at the bottom of the top picture came out as the 'younger' ones already.That's their elder sister on the top left of the picture who is also in the picture on your right( the left one).That's their brothers on the right of the top pic.What I can say about them is...The older one is very TALL! and the younger one is very NAUGHTY! The picture on the left is my nephew Daniel( but changed his name as soon as my sister said Ian was better) and my niece(who's older than me by a year) Olivia.My uncle love to join in the "photo-session" as well.

Hahahahahaha.So adorable! LoL.

I drove in the evening.Of course with my dad beside me since I do not have license yet.I'm still having driving lesson( will be taking the exam after my Cambodia trip).And so, that's the first time he had seen my "driving skills".haha.Yup, he was so afraid that I think he almost pee-ed in his pants.His hands were holding the handbrakes tightly( I kind of mean VERY tight).Well, as I've guessed, he complaint about everything I did but he taught me some reverse thingy.That's my first lesson with Mr.Dad.There's more action at night that I couldn't show.Too bad.Later that night, my parents went to 'karaoke' in town with my cousins.Which leaves Olivia, Daniel( /Ian), Chong hui( their younger brother - I don't have his picture), Ping Rui( my 9 year old niece), my sis and I.As well as the other cousin who came back from Melaka with her family who's going to sleep soon.Since we have nothing to do, we decided to drive to Ayertawar for supper.So Olivia, Chong Hui, Ping Rui, my sis and I went.Daniel/Ian who wanted to go in the first place changed his mind( you'll know why in a moment).My sis drove but I...I reversed the car from the parking spot for her! hahaha.Anyway, Olivia brought us to a food court kind of place.After that, we went home and found Daniel/Ian playing PS2( My cousin from Melaka brought it for the kids to play but usually the kids wouldn't let us 'older' ones play).And so we all played together.haha.We decided to do that every night after they sleep.I fell asleep once Olivia and my sis decided to play 'Super Mario'.haha

-Tuesday( 20th February)- DIY

As usual.Owh yea..the reason why I'll wake up every morning to exercise is because I love the cooling air.the mist.Running/cycling through it make me feel so...Ahh! Yes.I feel so...Ahh!
My dad, sis and I went for breakfast in Ayertawar.At the same time, stocking up our supplies of fireworks/firecrackers.haha.My mum? Sleeping like a pig at home.
Well, the thing is I cant write everything I did in detail but I assure you that I had an awesome time there.Things I did was like watch Tv, cycle, play badminton, sleep, went rounding with the motorcycle and chat with my cousins, nephews and nieces.Owh...don't forget eating! It doesn't matter...I'm happy just spending time with all of them.And so, yea...it was such kind of day.Had my second driving lesson in the evening.Guess what? my dad doesn't hold the handbrake anymore.So, I just drove wherever he asked me too.He tested me on some area.i passed my parking with flying colorful colorful color.haha.I don't think I'll pass the real one though.
After shower that night my nephew( the freaking tall one) decided to buy me a drink.Yup, at the 'mamak'.We chatted for a long time there.The 'feeling feeling' kind...as what Stephy calls it.After getting our a** swelled up for sitting there so long, we decided to get our a** swell up on the motorcycle.I mean we went rounding while chatting with the motorcycle.Then we made a pit stop at home to 'play'( is that even the right word) firecrackers.We 'played' so much until the adults asked us to keep some for the next day as my other cousin will be coming back with my favourite niece and her brother and sister.
So I wanted to go on with the rounding but my tall nephew has to go back( he stays more towards the town area) as my cousin has an appointment.We( the PS2 bandit) stayed up to do our "mission PS2".

-Wednesday( 21st February)-Day?

Same old same old.Since we had a talk yesterday, my freaking tall nephew keep asking me to go for a ride on the motorcycle.Owh yea..I don't mean that he's freaky but he's TALL! for his age la.And so I did went for a 'ride'.Seems like he has just as much problems as I do.
Today is THE day! My cousin's coming from Pahang( her husband's hometown).She reached around 2+ pm.Then my other cousin goes back to Melaka( with the PS2!).It's okay because usually I just watch the 'PS2 bandit' , not play with them.And now I have my favourite niece!

That's my favourite niece, Chien chien.She's 4 this year.Below is her elder brother,Jun Roo( the one in the middle).

As for their elder sister, I don't have her picture but just imagine a 10 year old version of Chien chien.They look alike!
I had my third driving lesson that evening.This time my dad is all relax.Me? I had fun driving!
We burned the '144 firework' at night.Though we had some problem with the firework, we all enjoyed it.I got it on my phone too.Yup..you guessed it.I can't get it here.

-Thursday( 22nd February)- 5th!

Last exercise of my trip.I will miss it! and finally my favourite noodle shop had an 'open' sign.Well, not exactly.It doesn't have the sign but...whatever! I waited the whole Chinese New Year for the shop to be open.And so I ordered 2 plate of noodles and took some from my dad, mum and sis.Who cares if I'm going to be fat? It's delicious!
After breakfast, I showered and do some last minute packing and said my 'goodbyes'.Some of them weren't there though.It's always so sad to leave my hometown.Though I actually can stay longer there as I have holidays but I have things to do here.*sigh*
I slept in the car the whole time until we stopped for toilet break and I heard Avril's 'girlfriend' premiere on the radio.But I was awake for 10 minutes at the beginning of the journey and I took two pictures again.

That's the paddy field.
Then we had our lunch at Kuala Selangor.Another credit goes to Kuala Selangor's seafood dishes!
Home Sweet Home after that.Back to my "chicken little" bed! What is that you asked? This is it - My chicken little bed! haha.

I totally 'fetch'( some british accent I learned from the movie 'mean girls') the top picture.Cute huh? Jealous eh? hahaha.
We did lots of clean up around the house and...erm...went to bed.

This shall end part one of my Chinese New Year!