Chinese New Year 2013

I was back briefly to celebrate Chinese New Year in Johor Baru. We left for Johor Baru on the 9th of February. Gabriel Loh had volunteered to drive and after loading the van we were off by about 6 am. The journey was relatively smooth although there were many cars on the road already. Kar Im requested for a pee stop and I was quite amazed at the chirping voices of thousands of birds (mynahs) found in the trees at the pee stop outside Senawang. Reminds me that God is with us as I appreciate the sounds of nature.

In Johor Baru we visited Kar Im parents first as we had to pass over to them some food. We then went back to Mum's place and my brother Henry and Aga were already there. Mum had the Choi Parn ready for us and I took a piece. Mum also reminded us that she will cooked a sumptuous lunch for us. However my 3 sons and I were craving for Kueh Tiau Kia, so we decided to go to Melodies Garden, only to find that the shop was not opened. We ended up eating substandard Kor Lor Mee in the Hawker centre as it was the only Chinese shop that was opened then. Ian cleverly opted for my Nasi Lemak from the Malay stall nearby.

By 1pm lunch was ready and Vincent and my Uncle Meng Suk was able to join us for lunch. Very delicious lunch although our stomachs were still full from breakfast. Kar Im suggested we do some last minutes clothes shopping especially for the boys who needed some shirts. We went to the Surya Mall where the boys manged to get their shirts while I managed to buy a  bottle of dish washing liquid for the house.

By 5.30pm we had to get ready for the reunion dinner which was to be held in Restaurant Tepi Sungai, in Masai, near where Father Simon stayed in the Jesuit House Plentong. It was a first time where Kar Im parents reunion dinner, the Teos and our ( the Lohs) reunion dinner were held at the same venue. However the Teo's arrived about an hour late.  

The dinner was shared with Mum, Vincent, Meng Suk, Henry and Aga and Kar Im, Father Dompok and our 4 children. Very fortunate to have all back as Beatrice had come back  a week ago and managed even to go diving in Sipadan. Sabah. Before going to Sipadan, she managed to attend the funeral of Tai Yee, my mum's eldest sister who left us suddenly on the 1st of  February 2013. my condolence to the family. it was a complete shock to all of us but thankfully she died peacefully in her sleep.

Father Dompok as usual was the live wire and also helped us to take the family photographs. As my brother Alex was in India for a Yoga retreat, there were some exchange of photo of the food and our family potraits through the What Up applications. The wonders of technology. Father Dompok also managed to tempt Doreen in New Zealand with pictures of the dinner which arrived so quickly. Dinner was complete by 8pm but we did manage to greet the Teo family who were seated at the next table.