Reunion, re-define

Here comes the day before Chinese New Year 2013. The year of Water Snake. Pssssss Psssss....... Isn't this the year where we can declare our laziness, or simply procrastinate things and blame it on the lunar effect? Hey, if I don't laze around now, I gotta wait for another 12 years!

No way I can slack on pace. There's so much to do this year. So much, particularly THIS YEAR. *manja mode ON!

Not time to denote some CNY wishes as yet. Still early, but I already have something to talk about this festival of Spring. Let's talk Reunion.

Just like last year, and last last year, and a few more last years before last last year....reunion dinner are done dining out. I can't recall which year we started to opt out, but it certainly took 5 times of reunion dinner ala ristorante cook-to-order style. It started out well, but in recent years, things begin to go somehow.....uninteresting.

I begin to miss those days when I can define CNY reunion dinner as, 'Dinner at home, with whole variety of foodies not usually cooked by Chef Mom during normal days. And hell lot of dishes to wash thereafter'. Well, I am from a very small family, I can say. Dad Mom Bro Aunt and Me. 5 pax for CNY reunion dinner proved that we cannot eat alot of stuffs, but Mom will prepare special dishes for all of us. I remembered waking up early and started cleaning the house. I must throw away most of my 'unpopular' things in that year because Mom would spank me if I keep too many rubbishes. Okay, she didn't spank me, she just nagged. Her nagging is as painful as spanking. *blek. And then, I'd help around the kitchen, usually those easy tasks. Of course I cannot stay in the kitchen when Mom's cooking. It's war in there!

And then, slow dinner round the table. Lots of talking, yelling and family jokes flying around...until we are full up to throat level...and we would sluggishly move to the kitchen again to wash the dishes....Usually me and Joyce would do the washing together. And sometimes when we are lucky, there will be ice longan or lychee cordial as desserts! *yummmmmmy

And then, days passed weeks, weeks passed years....Joyce met Wilson and marry off. And then, there was only four of us. Eventho Gary hadn't marry yet, and I am still helping Mom around in the kitchen, some wise-man says we should just make things simple and try reunion dinner outside. Yes, I forgot who raised this ultra smart opinion, certainly not me. And since then, we started eating out.

TODAY, reunion dinner at Cheers Palace. Ho Family with Choo Family. I must say, Cheers Palace got it's name very very wrong. Why not name it as Frown Palace, or Grouchy Village or even I-AM-NOT-HAPPY-SERVING-YOU Restaurant. This place certainly deserve that, because as a customer trying to enjoy reunion dinner there...all I got was a bunch of sadistic people serving me! And that goes to an awful dinner! *off-limit. And maybe we are not superbly close to Choo's Family, there was a few silent-moment, which I personally feels like breaking the ice. Yet again, the place, the servers, the food was awful. So, I was too icy to even break the ice. Let's forget about it. Eventho Daddy brought over a bottle of Lehmann Red...I didn't take more than a sip. *crap. How could I not enjoy reunion dinner with my favorite red wines!?!??!?!?

Anyway, whatever. I look forward to next year's reunion dinner. Just like how I looked forward to this year's reunion dinner when I was having reunion dinner at dunno-which-restaurant last year.

Reunion. Home, is where the heart belongs.