"HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012"

Another year is drawing to a close, in just roughly about one and a half short hours. Whatever the Year 2011 brings, let us treasure the good but let go of the rough ride and may we all welcome the New Year with an open heart and pray for the best of another year......

Wishing everyone out there......

May the good Lord bless us all abundantly!!!! Cheers for a wonderful, great, happy, successful, healthy and prosperous year ahead!!!

It's CHRISTMAS!!

The most awaited season of the year is finally here, it's CHRISTMAS!!

At the dawn of Christmas morning, rain start to pour in Kuching City. To me personally, it's not much of a problem..... being not able to experience 'White Christmas', "RAIN" is fine for me!!

Despite the rain St. Peter's Church first Mass on Christmas morning seemed to be over-crowded. The happy faces of everyone present there seem to boost the Christmas mood - Love, Peace, Joy and Merriment fills the air.

To everyone out there.......

The Chinese Dongzhi Festival

"Children, let's eat the Glutinous Rice Ball Soup or Tang Yuen Soup which mother has prepared, so that you can all be a year older!" I believe that this has been a very common phrase which our mother said to us when we are young. Whatever it is, as children we love to grow up but by the time we reach a certain age, we hope that we will stop growing or be young again. Mainly its because being young children there is no worries and no huge commitments to take care of, except enjoying a carefree life.

Though today's parents do not instill such 'old days knowledge and practice' to the younger generation, but to me personally, my mother's words would still rings in my ears when on this day, 22nd December, where all Chinese celebrate this Dongzhi Festival or commonly known as Winter Solstice Festival.

Most importantly, on this festival most Chinese will still prepare the Glutinous Rice Ball Soup or Tang Yuen which symbolizes family unity, love, peace and harmony. For those busy working people they can just purchase the ready made ones in any cold storage outlets at any supermarkets or shopping malls.

This simple gesture of the family gathers together for a simple Glutinous Rice Ball Soup will go a long way in helping to preserve our Chinese cultures and customs. Here's to share with all my home-cooked Tang Yuen.....

"Happy Dongzhi Festival to all......."

CHRISTMAS is just 'Round The Corner!'

CHRISTMAS is just 'Round The Corner!' This magical season always reminds us that the year is coming to a close, soon we will be entering into another new year. Year in and year out nothing seems to change much, except that we are getting 'a year older' which is most definitely 'a year wiser'.

Though Christmas in Kuching City is much quieter as compared to the previous years, but we can experience love, peace, joy and happiness in the air as well as the warmth of the season.

Our 5-feet tall Christmas Tree has been put up in the heart of our sweet home to make alive the cheer of Christmas, with some simple decorations......

As our grandson, Brendan is experiencing his first Christmas, Yea Yea (grandpa) puts up extra decoration and lights at the stairs. He seems to be enjoying the twinkling lights.......

The Christmas decors at The Spring Shopping Mall is very impressive too.....

Once Upon A Time........ [Part 2]

Nanas Road West, a well-known place since the old days, though its within the heart of Kuching Town, is sort of a fairy tale experience for me - a large wooden house built high up (like a tree-house) and hollow below where we can play around. This house have lots of rooms and have to admit that some of the back rooms are rather eerie????? Guess, it's because it has not been used after being vacated by my grandparents, uncles and aunts not long after we've moved in.

It was during this period of time, when I was in Kindergarten that my father underwent a Colombo Plan Scholarship Training in New Zealand for nine months. What I can recall from here is that my mum used to received letters from my dad and she wrote back and each time she will send some 'black seaweed' to go along with the letter. I believe that this has been the most hardest time for my mum as each morning she has to bring my eldest brother using bus to school after which she will stop by at my grandparents house at Pecky Park, while waiting to fetch my brother back, and they will only be reaching home in the afternoon. I recalled myself shedding tears each morning when my second aunt sent me to the school bus, as I missed my mum.

Our (me and my eldest brother) school days at Combined Council School have been real fun. We walked to school together and back each day.

to be continued.......