Amidst all the gloom and doom, I am thankful that we are able to celebrate Chinese New Year (of the Ox) this year. If you remember, Bert's mum passed away last year, and whenever I think of her, a feel some sadness still. That nite when we were dinning with my bro-in-law and his wife & family, and I was recalling about our mum, I think it brought back some sweet and some not-so-sweet memories as I could see that it was a emotional issue for my sis-in-law.
Why am I grateful that we can celebrate CNY and also Christmas last year? It's because I am so afraid about the health of my mum and dad. They are both not very good in health and I am so afraid to lose them, anytime. Death is so final and so different from moving away to a far-away-country where you can still hear their voice from a phone call or just go visit them...you know they are still reachable.
This year, we had pot-luck for reunion...our 1st time. Previous 3 years was reunion at restaurants as my mum is too old to cook for so many people. Since dad can't walk much anymore, mum decided to have reunion at home, and since she can't cook (read as not so active as before), she opened mouth to ask us to cook something. Personally, I prefer to enjoy a family reunion at home. It's so much more meaningful and everyone is more relaxed and can chit-chat. At the restaurant, we have to rush if you are at the 5pm sitting as there's another sitting at 8pm. If you are at the 8pm sitting, you'll also have to rush as the workers want to go back early for the CNY 1st day the next day. You end up paying through your nose and yet you can't savour the meal or each other's company.
In the past, every CNY was "boring" and the same old thing. However, to my surprise, I quite enjoyed this CNY. I guess it's because I feel that time is running out with my parents, so I get so sentimental about the whole celebrations that I had to video-tape and take photos of the grandchildren "pai-nianing" the grandparents. It was the usual quiet affair (read as we are just plain too lazy to visit) with just the right dose of sprinkling of visits to my goddaughter's mum (one of my best friends) on the 1st day nite for dinner, and to my bro-in-law's family on the 2nd day for dinner.
Another 1st for me was, I made pineapple tarts (open-faced ones) and some butter cookies this CNY. Since Feli is in afternoon school and Tiffy comes back pretty late in the afternoon (more like early evening actually), I had some "free" time in the afternoon and decided, just for the fun of it, to make the pineapple tarts to surprise my mum this CNY. I usually give her pineapple tarts for CNY, but since my usual home-made source went halal and do not supply open-faced ones anymore, I decided to make 2 bottles for her this year from my own kitchen. My ever-supporting hubby loves my tarts and couldn't resist munching on them even before the CNY started! It's almost gone now and it's just the 1st weekend of CNY. Even the cookies are munched on by Feli and hubby (Tiffy dislikes cookies and pineapple tarts - lucky for her and her waist-line...ha ha). My dad says the tarts are "okay-lah". I sure am happy whenever my little family enjoys my cooking.
I also decided to cut down ALOT of the usual requirements of must-haves for CNY to just the bear minimum. I figured why waste food...after seeing how final death is, and I think of my mum-in-law not bothering to follow all this old-wives tales of must-dos and can't-dos, I've changed my perspective...I just focus on what's the most important thing in life, and that is my family, my hubby, my 2 lovely daughters, my mum and dad, extended family and close friends. Anything else is just unnecessary clutter. As St Bernadette said when her nanny's 13 year old daughter was trying to dissuade her from entering the convent to be a nun, "Life is so short, why waste it" or something to that effect...do what is important...and for St Bernadette, it was to be a nun.
Love Theresa
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