The year of the snake 2013..

... and CNY is done. For us anyway.

This year had been the same usual routine, as for the past 13 years after marrying the man in my life. For him,  it had been the same thing for the past 40 years of his life. 

Korkor asked me before why we can't do CNY differently, just like my parents suka-suka jiao go Singapore to spend CNY with my elder brother and his family. I told him sorry,  we just can't. I have resigned to the fact that it's just part of our duties to fulfill our filial piety to be with the folks for this important festive season this once a year affair. 

I have to admit, I don't quite enjoy myself, but I tell myself, just do it for their happiness. And in turn, it teaches my own kids to treat me the same when I'm old and frail in the future. I am not in my 60s yet, I might not know, I might just be desperate to see them this once a year too when I'm there.Selfish thought, I do admit.

Nevertheless, it's always a great feeling to be part of a family who is always warm and chatty. This year, I had a pleasant surprise receiving a gift from my brother inlaw who bought each of us (his sis, his mom and I) a set of Estee Lauder make up kit. The price tag label on the box shows RM250. I was really touched and overwhelmed. 

Thankful for the great technology, the time passed by with less pain during those CNY home visits. After gong xi gong xi and handing out the angpows, I could switch on the 3g and surf the net and facebooking or play scramble. Well, what do you expect me to do anyway when I really do not know so well most of my hubs' relatives? Especially those whom I meet once a year only. 

Other times after fulfilling my duties of helping out the meal preparations and washing up, I could sit back and play several games of mahjong with them. Not too bad, but sometimes I just feel awful guilty and time wasted on such non productive activity and the children were left to play on their own on their laptops, ipad, phone, and whatever else there are. Nevertheless, the 4 cousins have the opportunity to be creative and play together on their own without the adult's aji ajo, it's not such a bad thing after all, eh?

1 week of balik kampung exodus, I'm so relieved to be back in my own home sweet home and looking forward to the school runs and gym workouts again. Though I always say 1 week for the CNY break is just too long and need to be cut short the next year round, I know deep inside, I can't bear to break the old folks' hearts and would be just doing the same thing next year again. Dem!