Siu~V: 1st Day... dear cousin how big you've grown

The first day of cny was a day where my cousins from Singapore paid us a visit. With both my parents being the eldest of 7 siblings each, it was only respectful that the younger ones came to our house to spread auspicious wishes.

Yes, I only see them once a year (sadly) and it never ceases to amaze me to see how much taller, bigger, prettier, chubbier, wiser, etc.. they've grown each year. Most of them (still in their teens) are even taller than me now!

To me, it was yet another annual affair of putting out the welcome mat and slapping on the biggest smile in pretence of looking like the happiest being on the planet to see your favourite dearest relative has come to visit...*sheepish grin*
By no means am I a party pooper, but don't you think most families from afar meet up during the festivities in favour of the grandparents mainly? Come on people, even if the ah-kongs and poh-pohs or ah-yehs and ma-mas are no longer here, it doesn't take too much effort to meet up once a year (only) just to relive that family bond that is the root of the entire life you have built around you. Blood is always thicker than water.

Not only we're the visited ones, we play visitor too.
This is Irene (my SIL) with my mum. She's a Singaporean and ain't she HOT.

One of the best chai (vegetarian) lunch cooked by first aunty.

A sweet treat of lotus seed, white fungus, kei chi (wolfberry) and ginkgo nuts. I like.

My 18-year old cousin, Sarah and I. She just enrolled into MMU after failing in her strike towards her parents to further her studies in KL. Poor thing. Heee.

This is my brother Victor and wifey Irene.

Sarah and my mum who has taken care of her ever since she was a new-born.

Showing some brotherly love with a piece of nga-ku (arrow root biscuit)

This was my favourite bowl of cny cookies. Every single piece was sinfully delicious!

And this was Aunty Lucy who made them.

Strawberry flavoured mushroom cookie. Isn't this a cutie?

Golden fried crispy Yam strips. Another of Aunty Lucy's masterpiece as it is most difficult to make.

Me and cousin Alicia also found time to reminiscence on old family photographs...

...and I mean really old photos.

This is taken with my mum's side of the family in March 1979.

My mum is the one seated second from left cradling who else but little siu~V.

Now you know my age! Heee.

Alicia's 2 other sisters, Josephine and Cathleen.

I'm closest to the 3 of them and funny, it was through them that I learnt the tad bit of Hokkien (despite my mum being a Hokkien). So you see, wo eh sai kong tam pok tam pok.