Events the last few weeks: AO 2011, Troy's Birthday and CNY Reunion Dinner.

We had so much on the last few weeks. In short, we went to the Australian Open, I went for karaoke session twice, we went for Troy's birthday lunch, and we celebrated the chinese new year with friends. In between there were also a few dinners here and there. And thus my outlook calendar was pretty "orange" those last few weeks. :p "Orange" was my colour for personal events. Hehe... Anyway some of the more significant ones with pics:

20 Jan - Went for Australian Open Night Session at Rod Laver Arena

Matches in Rod Laver Arena that night	A very hot David Ferrer changing his shirt
Hottie Davie Ferrer doing a serve	Posing with SAM! supporter flag
Winner Samantha Stosur walks away after interview	Winner Marcos Baghdatis thanks his supporters

And if you're interested there's more photos from my Australian Open: Thu 20 Jan 2011 album on facebook.

26 Jan - Celebrated Troy's Birthday at Studley Park Boat House

The very lovely Barbie Birthday Cake for "Princess Troy"	Troy laughing at his gifts which included some funny stuff
Yup, a measuring tape for measuring his biceps after every gym session.	And not to forget the group that made it for his birthday lunch

4 Feb - Chinese New Year 2011 Reunion Dinner

We started with an opening toast to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year	The group that made it for dinner. Check out the dark gloomy weather at the back
Pretty set-ups and decorations at the Crown Promenade as usual	We stayed on for coffee and also because the rain and floods kept us from going home

And that was pretty much our last few weeks! In the mean time, Saturday tennis has resumed and so will Kings Park social comps next week! Just can't wait to get right back into 3-days of tennis per week. I've been a little off touch lately and having to deal with some emotions as well. But let's hope things improve from there!

It's the Lunar New Year, so Gong Xi Fa Cai, but I have some unhappy ramblings

Happy Lunar New Year everyone, it's day 9 of the Lunar New Year, which is also known as "Chu1 Jiu3" in mandarin. This year was a quiet celebration as most of our friends are all back home in Singapore/Malaysia. Darling was supposed to go back on the eve as well, but because the company needed him during the Australian Open, he postponed his flight to a week later. And so as I'm typing now, he's about 7000kms away from me.

My dear chaboh Joewiz's younger brother came down from Leongatha to join us for a mini reunion dinner at aunty's - Wah Kee restaurant in Clayton. There were just four of us including Ammie. It was a small gathering but we ate to our hearts delight, just couldn't be bothered taking photos though. Prior to the dinner in the afternoon, darling and I made our way to Springvale - the vietnamese/chinese area in Melbourne for beef noodles. Being CNY eve that day, there was a carnival going on with lots of rides for kids and stalls selling food. And not to forget Lion Dance - a popular thing during the festive season.

I was pretty happy as I love my "Bak Kua" during CNY and we found a stall selling it. They call them Honey Pork/Beef Jerky over here and boy are they expensive at $2.50 a piece! Yeah they don't go by $ per kg, they go by per piece! In the end I bought 10 pieces just to satisfy my cravings. Of course they naturally didn't taste as good as those back home. :p

And that was sort of all of the CNY "celebration" we had. When you're not back in your home country, it just doesn't really feel the same. Mum sent me photos of my brother, sis-in-law, cousins, grand dad, nephews and nieces and updating me all about what was going on with the family back there. And then of course it doesn't fail to get to the point of my parents hinting when are they gonna be grand-parents as they sort of get all jealous about everyone else around them being grandpas and grandmas already, which brings me to the next topic - about why I don't think it's gonna happen anytime soon.

As those who follow my blog would know, the boyfriend's parents and I never got along. Especially after the "show-down" his mum and I had back in Dec 2007, we never communicated since. In short she sort of lectured us like we were a bunch of 10 year olds caught kissing or something and doesn't really want her son to have a girlfriend. Over-possessive or controlling? I won't stoop down to her level to mention the mean things she said. Basically the boyfriend's parents just want their son to achieve well for his future but without a better half - unless of course maybe they want his better half to be one they hand-pick.

4 years of us being in the relationship together, yet they still always talk about matters/plans that revolve around him alone and not around us. It's like somehow they hope that I'm just a passing phase in their son's live and will leave him in the near future. To them, he will always be their little perfect baby son of which no one is good enough for him. From their obvious attitudes and behaviours, the "M" word is out of the question (at least for some time) as they will probably go nuts even hearing it. Is this God's way of testing our love for each other? A perfect relationship - too perfect till there must be some who want to destroy it?

Happy Chinese New Year 2007

Okay, it's a little late for well wishes, but hey, lunar new year lasts for 20 days right? So here's wishing all my family and friends who are all the way back in Malaysia and Singapore:

Happy Lunar New Year!
Gong Xi Fa Cai!

We had our own chinese new year gathering at Lyell's house on CNY day 1. From left is Tubbs, me, Eileen, Ying, Ellen, (Forgot his name), Weiwei and Eric. Front row: Nancy, Weiwei's mum and my mum. Eileen is a new student from singapore and she's like a little sister to us, very chirpy and friendly girl. We had loads to eat as you can see and as usual we did not finish the food again. Then we played Pictionary as well, it was more of like a "shouting" match than guessing game. But it was still fun. ;) Then on day 2, we dressed Jasper up in his CNY outfit, but it was pretty hard to get it on that little fatso. *sigh*

Well, the gathering was good, but I still miss spending chinese new year back home in Malaysia/Singapore. Yes, the ang baos might be one thing, but the other important thing is being able to gather with family members and have lunch or dinner together. It's the time of the year where differences are put apart and everyone just gets down to eating, enjoying themselves and for some, gambling. I was pretty sure Chinatown in Melbourne was quite happening with the parade as well, but somehow the true atmosphere still cannot be truly felt here. If circumstances permit, I wanna spend the next chinese new year back home, home where the true spirit of chinese new year can be experienced. =)