5 Feb (Tues)
During work, I opened up the 4 hampers given to us by the other departments whom we are sort of supporting. Packed them into 12 portions for lucky draw and each one will take back a portion.
The 4 hampers...
The 12 portions...After work, cabbed home, changed, cabbed to mum's stall. Total of $25 gone! My parents could not cope with the business flow and I had to go and help while my brothers were out with their girlfriends. Don't know how to see timing one! Every year this time, business is super good! Reached home at about 11 plus. Took dinner and parents were arguing whether to cook popiah vegetables. In my 23+ years of life, every Chinese New Year, we would have popiah vegetables without fail. After some argument, we have decided to go ahead. Started to cut the vegetables and beancurd. Finished cutting at around 1am and dad started to fry the vegetables while I went to bed.
6 Feb (Wed)
Woke up at 6am to cook a few dishes to go to the temple and pray to my grandparents. Headed out at about 8am, prayed and left for mum's stall at about 9+am. Sold noodles till 12+pm. Reached home at about 2pm. Started to paste some New Year decorations to give my house a lil' more feel of the coming Chinese New Year. Then my parents came home with 2 pots of plants. Very pretty!
This was one which was bought from Chinatown. There are another 2 pots of plants which I did not take a picture of. Very pretty too. See the 4 little figurines under the leaves of the plant. Let's take a close up of it:
Look at the 4 little pigs. So cute right? They seem to be resting under the plant.I noticed another set of figurines beside the pigs, check this out!
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil! Keke... cute right?!I also hung this picture onto the wall:
This pictures depicts the horoscope of my family. Very nicely done by an artist from China.After all these, I took a little nap and woke up to prepare the food for our reunion dinner. Cut vegetables, meat, and laid the table. After dinner, headed to my uncle's house. We never have reunion dinner with my dad's siblings because the taste of the food at my uncle's house wasn't to my dad's liking. Thus, we had to make a trip there to show face as my father is the eldest of all. After that, we went to Geylang's Cai Shen Temple to receive the Cai Shen (Wealth God) for the Rat Year.
Upon reaching home, it was about 1+ in the morning. Started to paint my nails and did some nail art. Finished everything about 2+ in the morning. Laid lazily on the bed, watching F4's concert in Taiwan and slept around 4+ in the morning.
7 Feb (Thurs)
Woke up at around 9 plus in the morning. Got myself ready for visiting.
My clothings for the first day.
All ready to go...Went to the temple at Jurong East to pray. Then went to the ancestral hall to pray to my grandparents. Then to another temple in Jurong West to pray before heading to my uncle's house. Every year, it's my mum's side on the first day. Always looking forward to go there. So fun! My uncle will always prepare the Bingo game for us, with Ang Pows as prizes, ranging from $2 to $10. He also prepares the 'Zong Ji Mi Ma' game. Each family will be allowed to call a 4-digit number. My brothers and I won a total of $54 in both games. And then, our gaming den starts operating. Each year, my brothers and I will jio all our uncles and aunties into the game by telling them to come and donate some money to us. Haha. Had so much fun. Overall, I did not win or lose. But it's ok, it's the fun, the laughter and the company that matters.
Reached home around 7 plus in the evening and watched TV and rested quite early.
8 Feb (Fri)
Went to Loyang Da Pek Kong to pray. This year, they had a brand new temple, no longer by the waters. Really preferred the old place much more although it was a very long walk in and a long walk out under the scorching sun.
After prayers, headed to Joo Chiat for some Wantan noodles that is no longer so fantastic. Went home and started preparing for relatives who are coming over. Had to order Pizza and Chicken from KFC. My mum's side came over. It's the first time they're here since we have renovated our house. They all exclaimed at how pretty my place looked. =)
Had dinner and then the gambling den starts its operations again. On this day, I did not play. Darling played instead. Oh speaking of which, he collected quite a sum of Ang Pow on this day. Hehe. =) The overall winner was the banker i.e. my youngest brother. Everyone exclaimed that his luck is super good. Probably it's because they are playing in my house, and my house has all the Fengshui position adjusted to help the harmony and wealth of the family. What was I doing? I was busy operating my childcare centre. I had to ensure the little boys and girls to not disturb their mummy and daddy who are busy donating money to us. Hehe. So mean, right?! They all said they are here to pay for the childcare service as they were paying and paying to my brother. Hehe. I entertained the kids with my Wii set as well as turned on Alvin and the Chipmunks for their viewing.
This is little Caleb boy...The night ended at about 10. Sent Darling home so I can go his house bai nian to his parents too. Collected 4 more Ang Pows (1 from mum, 1 from dad, 1 from ah ma and 1 from my darling!) Tired...
9 Feb (Sat)
Some of my mum's side relatives will be coming over for lunch. Woke up early and quickly rushed home from darl's place to prepare food for steamboat. They reached at about 11 plus, started eating at about 1+ and everything ended at about 4+. No more gambling for the day as there were only 2 families who were here and there won't be much fun if the 'gamblers' were reduced by more than half.
In the evening at about 5+, started to get ready to go over to my dad's side for visiting.
All ready to go...Everyone kept asking where's my darling. Hehe. I did not bring him along because he had dinner at his friend's place.
Collected Ang Pows, had some gambling, finally won about $4 and got home at about 10+.
Had to rest early as my mum's stall would operate tomorrow and I am expected to go and help. *Sianz* But look forward to more Ang Pows collection.
10 Feb (Sun)
Had super lots of difficulty getting up in the morning at 8am to go to mum's stall to help. Helped from about 9am in the morning till about 8pm at night.
Shagged. Concussed.
11 Feb (Mon)
Returned to office to work. After the long holidays, it was so difficult to get up in the morning, take a train to work and to think that I knew I had to stay over till about 10pm in order to get my reports out on time.
Fortunately, I left home at 630pm. Reason: Reports required were not submitted to me. They were all late. There's no point for me to sit in the office and wait for the reports to come in. Went home, slept early. Fatigue kicks in when you are getting older.
The entire week was bad. Everyday, I was prepared to stay till 10pm to finish the reports on time. However, there were an enormous amount of errors. Everyday, I get to go home at 630pm except for Wed, I head for home at 830pm. On Thursday (YES! VALENTINES DAY!), I headed for home at about 730pm, when Darling came to fetch me.
No luxurious celebration as we are saving for our marriage. We head home, had dinner cooked by my youngest brother. We had spaghetti, still passable spaghetti. Should applaud him for the first time trial. Played Wii till about 10+pm when my parents returned home. Started to prepare for praying to Tian Gong which will begin at 12 midnight. It's the first time Darling also joined in the prayers and the preparation. It is always a lavish affair. The spread of food, and the knowledge is tremendous.
You must be wondering what he has gotten for me and what I have gotten for him. =) I had a hard time thinking of something to get him which is not too expensive. What I mean by not too expensive is below $100. I have been quite used to getting him gifts that are like $200 and above. However, we have agreed either not to buy anything or just buy something not too expensive. Walked around Raffles area, trying to get something. Stepped into the magazine stand and decided to get him a year's subscription of the Hardware Magazine which he used to read but did not continue with the subscription after it has ended. I kept questioning what he's giving me. He only told me it cost $50+. In the end, he told me he's going to get me a vibrator. *shy* I am quite surprised he remembered clearly what I have said before i.e. to have a vibrator. I immediately told him I don't need this, it's only a want, a toy to me and he changed his gift to getting me a year's subscription of Her World magazine which I like to read too. I also got him a card. A very sweet card. Darling: have you placed it on your office desk? Or have you thrown it somewhere else in your room?
Started praying at 12 midnight and finished about 1+ in the wee hours. Slept like a pig till 5+ when Darling woke me up. He had to be in office by 730am and I have agreed to send him to Tiong Bahru. I also had to be in office by 630am as I have not finished my report which is due on this very day. We had to head to my mum's stall first to get a bottle of chilli for Saturday's BBQ. Drove all the way till Tiong Bahru. In the end, Darling was late for work. =(
Slogged through the day. Towards the end of the day, my brain has stopped functioning. Feeling so super sleepy. Had a hard time waiting for minutes and seconds to pass by. Suddenly, time seemed to have slowed down.
16 Feb (Sat)
Woke up at about 10 in the morning. Headed to our favourite place for Kway Chap. Had a fulfilling breakfast and quickly head home to prepare the BBQ food. Today's BBQ is for my darling's colleagues and he is the organiser. And naturally the wife-to-be must help in the preparation. Headed towards the BBQ venue (Meraprime) at about 1+pm as we had to be there by 2pm in order to wait for the delivery of the BBQ food (remainder which we could not prepare on our own, we had to order).
Reached there, sat there, listened to music, talked to each other. Just the two of us. We treasured the quality time spent together. While darling went to the washroom, I took pictures of myself and showed him when he came back. He said I could take 30+ pictures in a short 10 mins when he wasn't around.
The wind speed was great that day. Sitting at the rooftop, enjoying the breeze!
These are a few shots which I like.
We also took some pics together because we seldom have the chance to. Anyway, Darling I love you. Thanks for bringing me to the BBQ which I enjoyed a lot and also got to know more of your colleagues.19 Feb (Tues)
This is the day we have agreed to be celebrating our Valentines Day. We also celebrated our anniversary. Had dinner at Swensens and caught Ah Long Pte Ltd. Thumbs up for local production. It's very seldom we get to catch a flick together as I always claim it will end very late and it's too tiring for me the next day.
Really glad Darling and myself enjoyed the show very much. Thanks Darling for the night. I love you always.
Finally finished the entry. Stay tune for the next. (I have got stuff to complain about but I am too tired to type it out now.) Good night...
