2011 Reunion Dinner No. 3

Every year my sister and I together with our families would have a reunion with our parents and our brother on one of the nights before CNY eve. We are still family even though we are married daughters with obligations to attend actual reunion dinner on CNY eve with our husbands' families. This year we held a Tong family reunion on Tuesday, 1 February 2011.

Despite all our planning Joshua and Jewel were missing. Joshua, who is temping as a barista at the Straits Quay Dome, had to work until 12 midnight. Jewel was away in India and would only be able to make back to Malaysia on the 3rd day of CNY.

We actually planned to have the reunion on Monday night. Thank God we decided to postpone it to Tuesday. If it had been on Monday night, Pam and I would have been too distraught and overcome with grief over Princess's passing to pretend that everything is "normal."

Nevertheless we duly gathered at Lillian's house for our reunion on the evening of February 1st.

Simple homecooked meal. The vegetarian dishes
in tiffin carrier are for our brother

No photos of people 'cos we were not in the mood to take happy-happy, smiley-smiley photos.

2011 Reunion Dinner No. 2

Occasion: Company Reunion Dinner
Date: Friday, 28 January 2011
Venue: Mama's Restaurant

The Yee Sang before the tossing began

Our table engaged in a vigorous tossing of the Yee Sang
that sent one piece of my chop-sticks flying

The Yee Sang after the assault

Half of the team seated at the other table

People Seldom Take Advice

Once in a while I find myself having to relearn some truths.

Lately I relearned that people seldom take advice...even if they ask for it. Very often, they have already made up their minds and they just want you to agree with their decision.

People seldom take advice...more so if it is unsolicited. Then one's good intentions may be misconstrued or misunderstood, rejected or resented. On a personal level, one gets rebuffed and labelled a "kaypo chnee" or busybody.

Basically people think they know what they are doing so it is easier to simply keep our mouths shut and mind our own business. But if we really care – and love means doing what is best for the one we love – then we have to stick our necks out even if it means we get our heads chopped off!

She Is A Body

We were shocked, horrified and offended when the guy at SPCA who received Princess for cremation referred to her as a carcass.

She is a pet, a family member. Therefore she is a BODY, and most certainly not a carcass.

No More

...welcome barks when we get home
...wet, sloppy licks and kisses around my ankles as I step into the house
...jumps to paw me which, more often than not, leave scratches on my legs
...pitiful howls when I leave the house again after coming back from work
...tripping over a black shadow who is getting in the way, running circles around me as I walk

Princess passed away this morning. She is 2 months short of 15 years (born 2 April 1996) and we miss her terribly.

2011 Reunion Dinner No.1

Last night we had a reunion dinner with my sister-in-law from Singapore. She has to be with her husband's family for the actual reunion on the eve of Chinese New Year but every year, without fail, she will come up to have reunion with us.

Tom Yam Bihun all the way from Singapore for our appetizer

Halfway through our meal. Very susah, always forget to take photo.

I think all the lang-li-ker-lang karaoke from the company dinner
that night affected us

This is just the first of many reunions we shall be having. And the reason for soooo many reunions is to cater for the married daughters who would otherwise miss out on seeing family members and catching up with all the happenings for the past year.

Next reunion is on Monday night and it'll be with my brother and sister and parents if they were still around. Then there'll be the actual reunion on CNY eve with the Songs followed by another Tong reunion with my dad's siblings.

Same Same

Yesterday hubby and I went for breakfast at our favourite coffee shop — the one opposite Union Primary School that has some of the yummiest hawker food around. We ordered our meal and when it came this was what we saw.

Identical orders for Sang Meen and Teh Si Peng Chia!

After so many years together we have even developed the same taste in food. Two shall be one.