CNY

Chinese New Year in Tan fashion :)

For years, Mum & Grandma would be the one preparing all the food for four days into the New Year until the year 07 when the uncle decided that reunion dinners would be at restaurants to ease the burden of my aging grandmother.  This year, we went back to where Di Ku celebrated his wedding dinner a few years ago. Reunion dinner this year was smaller. Di Ku & his wife were in China while cousin Derrick was in UK but we did welcome a new addition to the family, baby Isaac! :)

Cheh, Jay & I wore our cheongsams for the very first time which made Ah Ma very pleased. It was Mum who got us into it since Ah Ma has remarked that she hardly sees anyone wearing them. We decided to make an effort this year :). So as usual, we eat and drink. Well, a little too much, and Mum & her cousin will start doing their matchmaking tricks between his son & I. I swear (tho i cant) this has become a yearly question which I dread because all they know how to respond is "Why not my eldest son? Eligible bachelor mah!" OhmyGod.

And as what we do every CNY for the last 14 years, we will all go down to Seremban to Uncle Bob's orchard and spend three whole days together. I used to dread the farm with its conditions (coming from the city) and the sandfly bites not until Uncle Bob renovated the whole place two years back. in recent years, I finally understood the whole purpose of driving an hour's plus all the way to that place. It's about keeping all of us together. As cliche as it sounds, I realised that it is indeed hard to keep in touch once we are back in KL. Work, family and other commitments. These three days together also means making new amendments, resolutions and rekindling old times of the Tan family. I remembered one year Uncle YH wanted to turn the farm into a retiree area for old folks. Sadly, that didn't turn out due to lack of funds and constructive reasons. We would still talk about Kluang, how Mum & her brothers came to KL to find work or the family feuds. We'd sip our wines on the deck and talk till the wee hours. Us cousins would be gambling nearby so that we can hear the stories too.

Funny how when I get older, I start to have thoughts about these things. I'm blessed to have a family who makes the effort to meet up, though it can be challenging given our different lifestyles. We have a lot on our plates but come every CNY, we think about coming together to Seremban. It gets me more appreciative over family gatherings, that we are still well enough to travel and share our laughters while getting red. We don't need so much activities while we're there because us being there is already an activity on its own.

This year, my next step was made known. Some were skeptical but the one thing Ah Ma said to me made everything mattered.
(in Hokkien) "Ah Bee, you must do well. Do what you want to do, don't be afraid. If you fail, it doesn't mean you lose. Ti Gong will watch over you, don't worry. Pray everyday"

This year, Jay followed us to Seremban and won alot of our money.
This year, fishing was awesome with my two cousin brothers because we caught a couple of fish but let it loose again since they were small.
This year, I got to help in the kitchen.

This year was my year in mahjong. I hope I made Ah Ma proud (:

My favourite picture. Cheh was the camerawoman,

:)

On the Deck where I have my morning coffee while soaking up the view :)

I need cooking lessons from Ah Ma .

Here's to a prosperous year of the Dragon, may it be abundant in love, peace, happiness, good health and blessed relationships with family & friends :)