CNY traditions, old & new

CNY traditions, old & new

Width of smile is proportionate to the amount of alcohol in this family.

My family is not too big on Christmas and New Year's, but when it comes to the CHINESE New Year, boy, that we're super big on. I secretly suspect it's Mommy favourite festive season of the year. We go on a crazy mission to rid the house of every speck of dust, decorate the entire house (which includes but is not restricted to the lift lobby) in red and gold, plaster posters of the favoured animal for that respective year on the walls, cook enough to feed an army or maybe two. I always describe my CNY as nonstop action-packed!

Being my mother's daughter, I am crazy enough to add new traditions of my own to the list and make the fullest of the festivities to meet up with all my loved ones! Of course, it starts at home with a huge reunion feast, prepared with so much love by Mommy, topped with copious alcohol. It's always a battle between Daddy and I, to see who loses the war with the Z monsters after. Hahaha.

Then it'd be a trip to Glenn's, usually on the second day, to bai nian to his parents and extended family. And I tell you, his extended family really redefines the meaning of "extended". There are so many aunties, uncles, grandaunts, granduncles, cousins, nephews and nieces! And man, you definitely do not want to mistake the niece of your boyfriend as his auntie. But luckily, or should I say unluckily, for us, his nieces and nephews are actually all little enough for me not to make that kinda mistake.

I sincerely hope no one mistook our relations. It must have been a such a shock.

This year, with Glenn's jiejie being away, we were in charge of taking the little tots down for a walk. Man, this walk in the park was definitely not a walk in the park. And these are two people who did not have much sleep the night before due to mahjong kaki duties. We were up till 6am and went to bed just before sunrise! I even have a Hello Kitty toy to prove my visit to McDonalds in the wee hours (the only hour when any 22yo dares to order a Happy Meal and ask for the toy, really)!

And of course you'd totally expect me to have friends who love the festivities as much as I do and celebrate as religiously as I do too. It's been an annual gathering at Phuay's since we were in JC and we've been keeping it up every year since then! It's always like JC reunion, except better, with pineapple tarts and angbaos!

Then it's our annual pig out session at my place with the closest and the oldest friends, who all love my wonderful Mommy more than they love me. Yes, over the years, they have sort of given up on hoping that I'd inherit some of those culinary skills. I've been declared a lost cause in the kitchen. Hahaha. This year I invited some of the touch girls and mixed up the group a little and everyone enjoyed the new dynamics very much! What friendship can't be forged over a pack of poker cards and some loose change from the angpaos?

See, I really wasn't kidding when I said CNY is nonstop action-packed for me. How was yours? (:

three's a crowd

three's a crowd

So one day, WTL didn't wear me out enough, and I decided that it would be an excellent idea to bring all 3 dogs out for a walk. With ONE leash. Because Kiki (mother) and Bimo (brother) came over for a visit and no one had ambitions so grand as to walk all 3 of them TOGETHER, there was no extra leash. But me, being me, was so excited about seeing all 3 of them that I whined Glenn into bringing all of them down for a walk with me.

It was a nightmare from the beginning. The moment we took out the leash, all 3 of them started whining and barking NONSTOP. Because all 3 of them were excited about going out. And when we finally put on all their collars and ushered them into the lift, the lift had to open on the 6th storey, where an Indian couple was waiting for the lift. The 3 doors, all hyped up and unleashed, dashed out of the lift barking at the top of the lungs. The Indian couple wanted to kick our furry monsters! ): We apologized profusely, and then hung on to them tightly when the lift door opened on the ground floor.

Glenn, knowing the dogs better than I do, chose to cradle Bubblez and hold Bimo on the leash. So I was left with Kiki. Now, Kiki is the size of a little sheep! And she has the energy of a cow! She kicked and struggled and scratched until I yelped for Glenn to decide on a spot to let them down. Once they were all running amok, things were good for awhile. Until we realized that Kiki has the tendency to run and bark at every human being who was not us. Especially little kids.

Kiki is in the bottom right photos - doesn't she look like a sheep??

Looking good for photos huh?

This is how it was like in reality!

Always trying to run out of sight.

So we had to move them away! Away from the the shady playground and into the sunny exercise corner. Once we were there, we let them all roam loose. Glenn stood in the shade holding on to Bimo's leash while I ran around like a headless chicken chasing Bubblez and Kiki to make sure they didn't get lost. Or knocked down by a car. Or kicked to death by someone else they terrorized. Or actually catch a bird and kill it. Or get scratched by a cat. (Yes, Bubblez is scared of cats.)

I tell you, I played 2 full touchrug games that morning, and nothing came close to chasing 2 crazy dogs who love to chase people and birds respectively!! And on top of that, they each shat at least twice and I had to pick the shit up while still yelling BUBBLEZ COME BAAAAAAAACK and KIKI SIT DOOOOWN! Glenn decided that his job for the afternoon was to remind me that it was NOT a good idea to bring all 3 of them down for a walk at ONCE. So he only came to help me when I was on the verge of tearing my hair out. So mean right!

And when we finally headed home after 30mins, we were EXHAUSTED. And the dogs? Happy and satisfied. No more barking symphony for the rest of the day. :D

Favourites, at the end of the day.

walking the bubblez

walking the bubblez

Bubblez, doing her favourite thing - chasing the poor little birds.

This is what I do when I get bored or stressed or unhappy. I go over to Glenn's place, and I feel loved right away. Not always from him (you know, boys being insensitive boys take awhile to figure things), but always, always from his dog.

Even before I step into his house, Bubblez already makes me feel as if she's been pining me for me forever. Everytime I press the doorbell, I'd hear her trot to the door, and try to sniff through it. Then all I have to do is whisper her name, and she'd start barking and whining and commanding Glenn to get the door. How else do you feel unhappy when you know there's a cute ball of fur begging to see you!

Needless to say, the moment the door is opened, she jumps right up to me and tries to kiss me. Hahaha as much as I love her, I don't fancy her wet sloppy kisses too much!

Usually I try to bring her out for a walk everytime I go over. And she gets soooo excited about it! As soon as we put on her collar, she'd start running to the door, and back to you, and whine at you to "get out already!" She's pretty much trained now, so we can walk her without her leash, except there is still the risk of going hoarse yelling her name when she finds 1.) birds to chase, 2.) cats to disturb or 3.) food to eat in secret.

And a little more on #3... The little thing is really sneaky and too smart for her own good! When you catch her eating food that she's not supposed to, she PRETENDS to be the angel of all dogs. She gives you the most innocent and obedient look, so that when you yell at her to sit down, and give her two sayangs of a beating on the backside, people around you start to whip out their phones and key in the SPCA's number.

I swear, if there were a dog personality competition, this darling would take the cake.

See, she even scowls!

What kinda dog scowls??

meeting the family

meeting the family

I popped by Glenn's place sometime during the holidays and met the family. By that, I don't mean his parents and sisters. I met his puppy's family - mother, brother and sister. The three of them were over at his place because his uncle's family went to Korea with his Mom and sister, so all the 4 dogs were under his care! He's been complaining SO MUCH about them, I decided to go over and offer my help.

Okay, actually I kind of whined my way into an afternoon with the 4 of them. Hee. And they are SO TOTALLY CUTE!

The moment we opened the door, Kiki (the Mom) came running to us, and the other 3 in the cage started jumping up and down and barking with excitement. I think they must have smelt the doggie chocolate I bought for them! Glenn the lousy owner didn't believe me when I told him I got doggie chocs; he kept saying I was trying to poison them secretly. Hahaha.

Once we opened the cages and let them out, all hell broke loose. They started their ever tireless attempts to scale up our legs and tried to push/punch/kick the other out of the way. When you pick one up, you'll never get peace from the rest. It was like trying to please 4 very jealous (but adorable) kids! I felt so wanted and loved by those little creatures! :D

And the cutest part is when you play fetch with them. Once you throw a toy, all 4 of them will dash towards it like missiles locked on a target. After 3 steps, Kiki will turn back and stroll back to me, because she can't catch up with her kids. Hahaha. A hard wrestle and a few growls later, all the 3 puppies will lumber back to me, heads joined, like Siamese triplets, for all their mouths were on the toy. HAHA. I was immensely amused.

I got seriously tired after awhile though. You have to constantly chase them for things (like socks), watch out for the puppies who might shit/pee at random corners of the house and make sure they stay out of the toilet and kitchen.

So in the end, I simply settled for Kiki, who is docile, cute, rather lazy and best of all - toilet trained. Hahaha. It was so much fun though! Playing with the whole family. :D

The 3 puppies in the cages.

That's Bubbles and Bernie together, and Bimo on his own.

Bimo is a secret camwhore. Hahaha.

Glenn, playing with his favourite Bubbles.

Hahaha trying to get them to sit.

Nothing makes you feel more loved than this!

Snatching the socks from her/him.
(By this time I couldn't tell who's who unless I pick them up. Haha.)

My favourite Kiki!

Hahahaha dog-fight.

All 4 of them!

the real Bolt

the real Bolt

I met Bubbles today! She's Glenn puppy, the one whom Bolt reminds him of, and she's so cute! I've been bugging him forever to bring Bubbles out to play because I hear so much of her funny stories, so I was very excited to drop by and say Hi to her today. Hahaha.

Our initial plan was to go to Sentosa with Sarah and Jiajun, but JJ couldn't make it at the last minute, and the weather was so unpredictable, we decided to pop by Glenn's place before heading out instead. And then I get to see Bubbles!

She's so tame, she'll make you feel like she's been your pet for years the moment you step in. Haha. She sniffed my legs, leapt up to me and just sat in my lap wagging her tail nonstop, completely ignoring Glenn when he called her. Jealousy definitely sparkled in the air.

Well, hopefully the next time we decide to hit Sentosa, then sun will be out for good, and I'll get the car so that we can take Bubbles along too! :D

Glenn, giving in to Bubbles and sharing his pear.

She showed her gratitude by shitting right outside her cage. HAHA.

Too fast too furious!

Bubbles in my lap, and my attempted self-shot for her.

Then Glenn took a picture of Bubbles without me in the photo!

She kept trying to kiss me and lick my face.

And the solo shot of her.
I think she looks very much like a Santa Claus dog. All we need is the red hat. Haha!