Get Together Dinner

Preparations, swiped from williamnyk on Flickr.

My big boss declared half day off for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Anticipating the same treatment for the Lunar New Year Eve, I just applied half day leave. I was right. Kakaka. Went out to breakfast with bro and mum. Hunted for curry noodles at Kuchai Lama. One shop was closed, but the other wasn't. Surprised that I had to take a number just for my order to be taken! And the price was jacked up to MYR6.00, without any chicken! More surprising was the fact that the dim sum joint next door, Jin Xuan was brimming with customers. Yuck. Basically the whole day was preparing for reunion dinner and the coming lunar new year. While mum was busying herself at the kitchen, I was busy vacuuming the cars and cleaning the carpets. Once in a while I would help mum out in the kitchen to boil rice, prepare vegetables and etc. Never an easy job giving her a helping hand. Her instructions are always abstract and she would only like things to be done her way. If her instructions were clear, then I'm all for it. But if you're vague, it can really be frustrating. SK came over with her granny at about 5:00 pm. Apollo arrived not much later. Due to her weakened post-surgical condition, she still managed to cook three dishes this year. She also ordered a whole batch of caramel puddings from her colleague which Apollo helped to collect from Shah Alam. At that time, mum was still cooking. By the time she was done, it was near 7:00 pm. When all six of us sat at the table, there were eleven dishes awaiting us-- stewed fish maw with pork ribs, sea cucumber with mushrooms, enoki-bacon wrap, steamed pomfret, fried threadfin, charsiew, blanched chicken, ju hu char, tempura moriawase, salad and lotus root soup. Mum also dug out a small bottle of sparkling mead that was left over from winter solstice. Post dinner, we just lazed around the living room and started a kuaci and red wine session. LOL. With the food settled in my tummy, had to start work again by washing the cars and mopping the floor. Get everything cleaned up before CNY! Ironed my new shirt and got my jeans ready. Hehe. Year of the Horse, here I come!