Oh!pEnions

24012012 Chinese New Year Day 2

I have come to accept that in the first few days of the Chinese New Year, everyone is busy and well, visiting. Before I got married, it was different. On the first day, it was very quiet right after the Tea Ceremony so I can actually go back and play PC games. And on the second day, it was to visit the relative or vice versa (note the relative is singular) and then its back to the PC games. And for the rest of the week, it was just PC games. And food. Yes, food. After that, it was PC games. Anything else was just mere annoyance.

Now, its different. We do the visiting and also, well, the giving too. But to tell you the truth, I kinda enjoy this more. Because nowadays, I love to have big crowds around me, not because I want to show off but its that feeling of special family warmth which makes me feel at peace and contended. A stark difference which beating an End of Level Boss 1,000 times or finishing dozens of games within a week can even come that close. So, every year, I look forward to these occasions.

Wakey, wakey! Its time!

Within three hours, we're ready and so are the girls.

Yum-yum. Crab apples and oranges.

Mingling with the cousins

Mingling in the pool. Guess who had to go in after them?

Mingling with the fishes

Moments before we kick the kid in...

Mingling with the iPad

Mingling with the mingling crowd

This soup is delicious!

Our own mingling. The Kickapoo trying to mingle with the mandarin oranges

23012012 Chinese New Year Dinner Day 1

This is one of those dinners one must attend. Not because its important but hey, free meals, people. But seriously, with the passing of my Uncle, the mood is a bit sombre despite everyone trying to be cheerful. There is a story to looking for this place. At that time, it was very 'important' since my late Uncle likes to eat here as it was claimed that the prices are quite reasonable (OK, cheap).

The first time we looked for it was weeks ago, based on my Auntie's description which, like any directions given by strangers, we ended up nowhere. Not even the locals knew of this place. And so, on the second try, which was tonight, we decided to 'follow the leader'. See the apostrophes?

And that leader was an expert in terms of navigation. Within less than an hour, we have reached the place with me going "WTF...". This was the place literally across my old office and it will take me three times as short to reach it. By now, you would have known which route it was and in the evening, it is a very dangerous place. Other people would have used the DUKE instead.

Anyway, its Dinner with the whole Family.

So, we ate and we ate.

Then we ate some more.

In the meantime, while they ate, I ate too.


While everyone mingled, I ate again

Trust me, its for the Dog.

There was nothing special which I liked, given the mood that was still lingering but this was something I liked. Its something something fried with duck egg. And yes, we ordered it again. Twice.


All in all, the food was not bad and somehow, the bill that came later, was really reasonable.

This was the place which I passed by many times but did not really pay attention. I mean, we are the only family which would not go to 'far away' places just to get some nice food. No, sir. That would be crazy. But not my late Uncle. He goes everywhere and would know the places more than me. And he also knows where to eat and a lot of people as well. He does this all the time when he comes to KL, even when I was small.

But in the end, all I can really say is that he is a very simple tough guy, knows how to enjoy life, be sociable and knows what needs to be done. I really miss him and his packs of Dunhills.

Guess who was still hungry?

Vee-Chai won't beep-beep

I don't know about you but its starting to honk me off. The beep sound has been gone for a while but I did not get to it due to the Chinese New Year. It costs me RM80 to have this buzzer installed into Vee-Chai at the Authorised Service Centre months ago and now, its broken.

OK, this is one of the few times I opened up the bonnet and well, I am not so happy to see how the buzzer was mounted. But the Engineering side of me was delighted. I mean, look on the bright side, I've paid RM80 for them to plug in a wire to the alarm system. Now, I can modify the/connect to any 12v horn/lights/spring/thrusters I want

But just for fun, I am going to try to replace some components to see if it works on my next trip to Pasar Road. I mean, its dead, so how dead-er can it get?

[Update: late June 2012]
OK, I have found the similar buzzers in my regular Electronics shop. What a fool I've been. So drunk with the possibilities of other noise making devices, it did not occur to me to just get a normal buzzer replacement instead of car alarm sirens, etc. Still, I'll just use the Wira/Cat wailer until its kaput.

23012012 Chinese New Year Day 1

To tell you the truth, we do not receive much visitors to our house. Growing up in this house, I realised that we're very a private family. There were not many visitors to our house and yes, we do not 'celebrate' much. Even if we did, most of it would be between ourselves and no outside parties were involved. This was not so apparent until after my Marriage which I realised the house is very quiet.

But thanks to the two girls, I have the much sought laughter and noise which is so 'missing' here. Also, this is one of the reasons why I wanted a house by ourselves. But the way the prices are now, its going to be seriously out of our reach. I am starting to feel very imprisoned.

Tea Ceremony with Kaelynn

In the afternoon, a visit from our relatives from up North.

The hangover

OK, it floats. That's the only thing that restaurant can do. As it came out, everyone forgot about that awful place.

Happy Chinese New Year 2012

Isn't it great to wake up and have Ang Pows at your side?

And so, officially, 2012 is now here. I wonder whats in store for everyone this year? Although everyone is enjoying their celebrations, I am not. I will tell you later why.

Chinese New Year Eve

So, the trip to Mid-Valley was actually just a break from the hectic program for us. As soon as we came back, we had only less than 2 hours to get ready. Which is a feat considering there are other chores to do, such as fetching siblings from the train station, cleaning up, making sure the girls are wearing the right clothes, etc.

OK, one of the chores is done, a million more to go....

Finally, Chinese New Year Eve Dinner is about to start. We booked this restaurant somewhere in Kepong, which was just streets across from my old office.

Yes, Dinner is about to start. In the meantime, the girls are very happy because they have a newfound love with the iPhone.

Ah, Dinner is starting, Which is a new one to me because the soup's quite hot despite us waiting for more than an hour for it. And so, by the time it came, it was so delicious, we ate all the food served to us and wanted more. And today is also Opposite Day.

Four Seasons of I-dunno-what-you-call-it. I mean, this is fine if you're in some small town or kampung but man, we're sitting in a two-shoplot Restaurant.

Delicious looking Bowl of What-was-that?

Dead Prawns in a shallow clay pot

Mutated Fish

The I-think-its-chicken Dish

Rice

Yeah, they had a lot of fun. For the kids, its just food. For us its, "WTF! We burnt RM298 for these crap". Other tables did not fare better.

If I tell you whereabouts was this restaurant in Kepong, I would be spoiling it for you but here is a clue. Yeah, THOSE people are just a few feet away.

After dinner, its off to sleep... for tomorrow, its a Big Day!

Personally, I am not very happy about the Restaurant Booking. And its not about the money either. The reason we had to wait for more than an hour was because they were waiting for a few more families with the same package so that they can cook it all in one shot. Not only that, their staff were also running about here and there trying to obey the orders from a few disorganised Bosses. And the presentation for the food, well, to be honest, the small town and kampung folks can do better, actually.

I know its the Eve above all else and they're trying their best to fulfill orders, overcoming staff shortages and all. I really have to give them the benefit of the doubt but on that night, it was horrible. The only food that was delicious was actually, the onions in the fish, which, unfortunately, looked more like a mutated zombie.

In the aftermath, I think they're going to lament about the loss of profits, time, etc. Even though I do not know how to run a restaurant, common sense for that night would be to: get the families in, serve them, let them eat, collect their money and get them out of the door as soon as possible. Because, if you let a table be occupied for an hour doing nothing, you have actually lost a potential of one to two walk-in families, never-mind if you have a lot of bookings.

This was taken earlier and it was not that bad...

22012012 Trip to Mid Valley

OK, I'll admit it. We're on a last minute rush for the CNY stuff. There were quite some things to buy but because of my working schedule, it was not possible to do anything until today.

Not sure what they're trying to do with this deco and since in a rush, not going to care

Everything was going OK until we stopped in front of the Sushi King...

"We only have enough for this sushi, OK?"

"Once you finish that, you can order something else."

Its fun to see them try eating with chopsticks

Yeah, as I said, its fun. But I need to start training them properly.

Oh-oh. Better order something else quick, the way she is looking at those sushis, it might be expensive.

OK, some noodles for her and rest of the Bento sets for us.

Passed by the Food Court and it was literally shut down. 40 minutes ago, it was business as usual. Went to V-Hobby but they closed their shutters halfway. darn. Wanted to the the twin Element EX-6. Yeah, 40 minutes ago, they were still operating. Notices everywhere said shops will close at around 1600 but everyone closed hours to half hours earlier...

Just can't help playing with a few poses.


After that, we were just in time for the Drum exhibition. Which is very nice. I got the video but I am not sure if I want to upload it since its quite shaky.