happy lunar new year

So, it is now the Year of the Dog. My grandmother from Singapore came over to Miri to celebrate it all with the rest of us. Together with my cousins and aunt that are currently staying in Singapore. That night, we all gathered in my house for our New Year's eve dinner.

New Year's Eve dinner. Nothing all too special this year. But it was still good nonetheless. =)

After dinner, most of my family went out to visit an uncle's house. My dad, Greg, Aaron, and I were all left alone in the house. Greg and I played cards in the living room together with my dad who was watching sports. For hours!! Eventually, I told Greg that I had to stop playing cards cos if I watched another minute of sports, my head would explode! Greg felt the same way and we both retired upstairs to watch movies instead. At that exact same moment, Mark came over so Greg and I dragged him upstairs to watch a movie with us.

By the time it was midnight, my parents and grandmother had already gone to bed. Mark, Aaron, Greg and I went out to the streets and watched the fireworks being played by the local civilians. Yes yes, fireworks are illegal here. But they still manage to find their way over here and I'm not complaining. =)

The air was filled with the smell of smoke and gunpowder and the neighbourhood sounded like a warzone. The sky was lighted up by all the different colours from the fireworks. It was fantastic.

Saw someone skateboarding down the street, and lo and behold, it was Kalus. Invited him to join us watch the fireworks. After that, we all went back into my house and played cards in the kitchen while cracking jokes and laughing like we're high on crack. Mark only left at 2am. Pity him.

First day of CNY.

The first day of CNY (Chinese New Year) was a Sunday, so we all went to church, of course. Hehehe. Had to head back home for breakfast cos most of the shops are closed for CNY and the ones that were open were too crowded. At noon, we all left the house in 3 cars to go visiting.

I went in a car with Aaron and Greg to pick Mark up before going visiting. Yeah.. I sort of dragged him into all this.. Still feeling very guilty over it. You know lah... only 3 months of being together and already you're being introduced to the relatives. Gah! Nevermind, I told him that he can get me back next CNY. If he thinks he would like to bring me over to Australia and Canada just to meet his relatives. Haha.

Mark with one of the latest additions to the family. Or is he the latest addition to the family? Hahaha! I'm so lame! Haha.

I don't think he had that bad a time. I'm sure he had a good time playing with my little baby cousin? At least, I think she's a cousin. But I don't know. The rankings on the chinese side of the family has gotten so messed up that she might be my aunt. It was sweet watching him play with the baby.. I don't think he ever got a chance to really play or take care of babies since he and his brothers are born not so far apart. Yeah, it was just really sweet. I know he does feel guilty about all the ang pau he got from my family. All my aunts and uncles. And it was a lot, I can tell you that. Yeah, my family's rather large so there were a lot of houses to go to. =) More torture for Mark.

Me and the baby!! It's a she, 'kay.

One of my uncles there, one that was married into the family had pulled Mark aside when Mark wandered into the kitchen by himself and got himself interrogated at the same time. When I popped my head into the kitchen and saw the both of them together, my uncle was like, "Yes? What is it? You want him back issit? Wait. I need to question him first." Oookaaayy then.

Later my mom made me take a picture of some of or some of my family together with that uncle and made Mark stand in the picture with the rest of them, my uncle was like, "Ah! I also know what it was like to be a fringe. Just standing at the side of the frame like that. Yups, and always having to meet the family like this. Nevermind, once you get married, you'll get to stand right in the middle." Walau eh... Hahaha.

Anyways, that was pretty much it for the first day.

Second day of CNY. Weird, I know, like, why's my face a different colour from my body?! Eurgh. And urgh! I look so FAT. =(

On the second day, I had an open house. It was the usual kind of open house where friends come over and you serve them food and drinks and basically just hang out. The only thing that was probably wrong was that we all put The 40 Year Old Virgin on the DVD player. Lol.

Lion dance in front of my front door.

If you've watched the movie, you'll know what I'm talking about. All my parents could do was shake their heads and laugh while going, "Omigosh! Terrible you guys." And the rest of us would just laugh laugh laugh throughout the entire movie.

Goldfish out of Coke. Greg knocked over a glass of coke and also a plastic goldfish. Doesn't it look like the goldfish was probably like, swimming in that glass of Coke before it broke? Teehee.

Hmm.. hey, it's already the seventh day of CNY and I just realised I have not even opened one single ang pau. Haha. That's normal for me anyway. I can wait. I don't know why I do. But yeah, I do. I wait till most of the hype is over before opening all my ang paus. Yes, I'm a freak, I know. Most people would tear open theirs as soon as they can help it but not me.

Hmm. I think I shall open mine tonight. =)