Gong Xi Fa Cai

Today's the last day of the Rooster Year, and tomorrow will be the first day of the New Dog Year.

We'll spend our Chinese New Year here in Klang Valley. Today we'll be going back to YehYeh's and MarMar's (my parents) house for the tuan-nien dinner. Normally my mom will wake up early in the morning to go to the market to get some fresh fruits, and vegetables. And my dad normally works half-day today, family business lor.

In the morning, we'll prepare the altar for some simple ceremony, mostly fruits and vegetables as offering. My mom, being the only cook in the house, will prepare dishes enough for 20 people. LOL!! The dishes must be at least 8 types, and must be a lot, so that there'll be leftovers. Normally we have steam fish, steam chicken with her delicious authentic Hainanese chicken rice, fried vege, chicken soup, fried chicke00n, yong tau foo (stuffed chilly), fried prawns, and many many more. But this year, she wanted to have something different. She'll be cooking mutton curry. (??)

At night, we normally go to shopping complex, window shopping ler. But this year, I need to do some last minute shopping. We have forgotten to get Yiyi her shoes! Aiyo, this Papi and Mami too busy already lar.

For those celebrating Chinese New Year, we wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year. For our muslim friends, Selamat Awal Muharam.

GONG XI FA CAI !!
ANG POW NA LAI !!

Investment

Yesterday, we have just added another 'debt'.

We bought another property in Puchong. :)

Actually we paid the downpayment and booked the unit that we are interested, and we have 14 days to sort out the bank loan and settle the remaining 10%. Ouch! Looks like we really have to plan our financial status carefully.

So no more jalan-jalan cari makan, no more oversea trips, no more expensive dining. hehehe.....OK lar, maybe once in a while lar. ;)

It's a little investment actually. It's a middle class apartment, with basic facilities, located at a hill top in Puchong. And the view is...remarkable! I actually fall in love with the view, thus the decision to buy it.

Yiyi was really excited. I think she can sense the excitement in the adults.

Yiyi : Papi, you going to buy house?

Papi : Yes, Yiyi.

Yiyi : Buy for Yiyi ah.

Papi : OK, Yes, dear.

Let's hope nothing major will come our way in the year ahead. And more importantly, let's hope my company can 'tahan'. *pray pray*

Promotion

Last night, at SS13 pasar malam....

Mami : Auntie, Give me 2 bak chang.

Auntie : 2, OK.

Mami : RM3.50 per piece, right?

Auntie : Rm3.

Mami : Eh? Last week I bought RM3.50?

Auntie : Err...this week promotion mah. heh heh heh....RM3.


Kih kih kih..... Last week Mami became a 'Sui Yee'


pasar malam - Malay meaning night market.
Sui Yee - Cantonese meaning a gullible person.
bak chang - Hokkien meaning rice dumpling.

Pengsan

Yiyi loves Snow White. She has a book full of Snow White stickers which we got from pasar malam. She have seen the DVD and sang Hai-Ho! when the dwarves appear. And she likes to play this game with Mami.

It's a simple game actually. Mami will give her an imaginary apple, where she'll pretend to eat it. And then she'll pretend to faint by slumping onto the sofa. Then Mami will come to the rescue by kissing her to wake her up from the "Sleep of Death".

And it comes handy when you need some peace and quiet. hehehe...

While we were watching TV last night, Yiyi began to ask for this and that, just to get our attention. Mami was feeling a bit tired, so...

Yiyi : MAMI!! PAPI!! MAMI!!! PAPIII!!!!!!

Mami : Yiyi, come. Nah, give you an apple.

Yiyi : *munch munch...pengsan*

Mami : ok, go to the sofa there, pengsan there.

Yiyi : Mami, rescue me...kiss kiss...

Mami : Ask Papi to rescue you.

Yiyi : Papi, Papi...rescue me....kiss...

Papi : Yiyi, you pengsan already, cannot talk one. Papi busy ler. Lie there first...*evil Papi*

Yiyi : *lie there motionless* Mami , Mami, rescue me...

Mami : Later, Mami rescue you, you lie there for a while ...

...a few moments later...

Yiyi : Yeh Yeh, rescue me...kiss kiss....

Yeh Yeh : Come, come, Yeh Yeh kiss kiss, sayang....

It was YehYeh to the rescue...hehehe...and yeah, we did have a moment of peace and quiet. :)

pengsan - Malay meaning fainted

Attempted Break-Ins

My mom stopped 2 attempted burglaries in 3 days apart! And it was the same house. My dad's immediate neighbour's house.

It was a Friday noon, when 2 guys on a motorcycle, forced open the outer gate. While one stood guard outside, the other guy went in to work on the grilled door. The neighbour was away outstation attending a wedding.

My mom heard some knocking and hacking from next door, and decided to check it out. The guy who stood guard outside, saw my mom, immediately signalled his friend to make a move. The guy dashed out, hopped on to the bike and sped off, covering the plate number with his hands.

Then, 3 days later, another gang striked. This time, it was a bigger team and more daring.

Came in an SUV, they forced open the outer gate, by ramming it hard. While the rest of the team stayed inside the vehicle, one guy tried to force the wooden door open. The neighbour was still away. My mom was outside when she heard the gate crashing into the side wall. Suspecting something amiss, she decided to check it out. She went back in to the house and observed from inside. She saw one guy at the door, while the rest stayed in the SUV, trying to hide their faces. When she asked the guy on the outside what they were doing, the guy coolly replied they were looking for "Ah Meng who was into renovation business".

But there are no Ah Mengs staying next door, and the neighbour is not into renovation business.

The guy then coolly walked to the vehicle, and sped away, knocking the rubbish bin in the process.

Although nothing happened, I still feared for the safety for my mom and Yiyi. Yiyi was with her when it happened. With the festive season around the corner, crooks are out to 'cari makan'. So be really careful, make sure all doors and windows are locked at all time, een when you are at home, and do invest in a good security system. But best of all, get to know and be nice to your neighbours. They are the best people to look out for you if you are not at home.

Take care :)

First Post in 2006

Happy New Year everyone!!

Been quite sometime since I updated my blog, thought I post a 'lil update on us.

Mami started working with her new employer about 2 weeks ago. She is still adjusting to life in a multinational company. After working her head off in a small company for 4 years, where you virtually have to do everything, it looks like her new job is much more relax. Although she's capable of doing a lot more, she's taking it easy, and just let it flow. I think she'll do just fine.

Yiyi is also doing fine and has grown pretty good. She's still the petit but very active. Not to mention very talkative. She's just 2 years and 3 months, but she can already count from 1 - 20, recognised 70% of the alphabet, recognised her own written name in English, and be able to tell you what TVB drama is currently on TV. She can also tell you what ads was it after hearing the intro. She's also started asking for stuff, like what brand of milk formula she wanted, and which cloths to wear for shopping.

Just yesterday, we were having dinner at a food court in Klang, when she was playing with a 7-months baby from the next table. I was chewing on my spring roll, when she turned to me and said "Papi, Papi, I want a didi to play with." LOL!!! (Papi : Mami...ehem, *wink wink*)

For me, I am pretty much the same. Still busy with my work, due to some changes in the organisation. I spent less time in the office nowadays, and more at the client's place. But things will ease up after Chinese New Year, I hope.

That's all for now. We wished Selamat Hari Raya Haji to all Muslim friends out there.