Year of the OX

End of January marks the beginning of the year of the ox. As usual the cny was celebrated with angpows baking, cooking, shopping, angpows and eating not forgetting the meeting of all friends and all family members.

Baking............ ahhhhh. together with Au, we added a few new recipes to our cookies collection. The macadamia chocolate was a hot favourite (even uncle fit fit who normally does not take cookies love it.) Next was the sesame which was also a hit. The rest was the normal peanut (JH love it so much that he requested for a carton when he flies off to England!!!), the melt in the mouth butter cookies, coconut cornflake raisins, and the cheese sticks which was another favourite of JH. It is nice to be baking and finds so many enjoying them.I always wonder when will the kids grew out of the cookies craze at which time I hope I have grandchildren to bake for.

Cooking cny's special dishes is always daddy's love. I will do the suggestion and talking and he will hold the wok and presents the dishes. His favourite is our prosperity pot and the vegetarian on the first day.This year Au broke the vegetarians part before midday as she casually comes down stairs and plop a cookie into her month!

Shopping for new clothes is always a hassle not because we don't like shopping or that we don't know what to buy. Rather every member of the family will complain that the wardrobe is filled to the brine and can't put in another outfit. Daddy will always try to pass his down to free some place thus resulting in the boys resisting anything more than one t-shirt. One would think that the simple solution is just to get them to donate or to give away some old clothing.Unfortunately, the children can't accept that and I have been baned from their cupboards. In their words,those are ours and not for you to throw.Well, who ask you to request for thrifty kids?

CNy is also the season for reunions and along with it feasting. This year we had 2 dinners at The Gardens (his group and mine), one tim sum brunch and course dinner at, Kepong and at the Desa Waterpark.Lucky CNY comes but once a year. itself 12 months is not enough to work off all the extra calories!

Not forgetting are the visits from my ex students.The phone calls came non end and the groups gathered all through the 15 days. IT is nice to catch up on their activities for the year and cute to realise that many are in their 3os and 40s. Boy am I old or not!