LION DANCE @ MUMSIE'S HOUSE

Every year on the 2nd day of Chinese New Year
traditionally the 'lion' will come to dance in Mumsie's house...At first only mumsie and the family
(with all mumsie's little ones) were there to welcome the lion..then mumsie brought some staffs from CSM...then mumsie invited her staff...and started 3 yrs ago mumsie invited all her staff and their families...to welcome the lion into mumsie's house.. Coincidently for the past 2 years (and also this year) whenever the lion arrives...daddy is @ CSM delivering babies and the lion gotta to wait for him ..See ...the lion dancers are not complaining cos mumsie invited them in to have lunch...yeah mumsie usually have some 'nice halal food' for her staff...

See the lion @ the entrance......daddy took some time to come home so someone suggested that she should dance around the house first...

This year the lion is really putting in a lot of effort and energy (makes mumsie wonder whether next year's angpow should be bigger... they keep on changing 'dancers' and performed very well , maybe the crowd watching was very encouraging....cheering them all the way.

They even have a 'dancing plan' laid out.

This is their 'target' see the angpow...

This year they went round the whole house...gotta to wait for daddy before they start the actual 'dancing'

According to Mr Lee their leader this year's lion is NEW

They come with their muscians!

See even mumsie's gold fish gotta to see them. The lion is standing on the bridge of mumsie's gold fish pond...hope Stone 1 and Stone 2 (mumsie's turtles) won't get a heart attack with the lion 'prancing ' around them

The lion gotta to go upstairs to pay respect to mumsie's altar....Yeah she gotta to bow 3 times at the altar...tradition..she does this yearly

Over heard some of the boys (the lion troupe) said this house AHMEN house (christian God)

Mumsie got the altar all lighted up

Mumse's staff with their family Hawa (our theatre nurse with husband and 2 sons

Mariam and her mummy daddy and sister

This family is not mumsie's staff or family but for the past 5-6 years we only meet once a year...(2 families here brother and sister..Angela)and their wife/husband) and their 'little ones' all boys 7 of them all delivered in CSM.. Yeah mumsie's patients....but without fail they will come and visit daddy and mumsie yearly......There is another family another brother..and his wife...the only one who produce a girl..and another boy. They came late that's why they are not in the photo....

The nurses who are on duty...but managed to come tooooooo!!!

Happy mumsie and her family...mumsie missed all her girls...hope you will be around next year....

This staff Norsiah has resigned but she still comes back when mumsie needs her to help out like when all the staff had to attend annual dinner..She left to help her husband -making kueh to distribute to stalls for selling.

Auntie Hong has retired...to look after her first grandson . She came with her daughter and son-in law

S/N Siti and her children

Azlan our driver and family

Miss Lee our clinic nurse with her family

Sister Yap with her sister's family

Miss Wong brought her father and her sister's family

The happy happy crowd

Yati with her furby

Mu our clinic Ahmah with YATI

And happy happy daddy with all her girl friends..

Soon Ye who came back from Melboune is here too (She is doing her nursing course there.. mumsie had given her your handphone..Cat...SO she might call you one of these days

THE REUNION DINNER

Tradionally, the last day of the old year is called "Duan Yun Fan" All the family members return to theri parents's home to have their 'reunion' dinner...And this year mumsie is happy to have both her sons home..(mumsie will be much more happy if the daughters too can come home for this dinner...well mumsie should be praying harder and harder for this to happen) Last year none of her children were around...NOT EVEN ONE!!! The above dish is Yee Sang...(before it is being attacked by chop-sticks..Cos you are supposed to toss this dish before eating it...the higher the better ...more prosperity for this coming New Lunar Year

According to Feng shui (Lillian Too) it is said to be unlucky to eat out on the night of the reunion dinner. (Mumsie didn't know this , anyway mumsie had been having reunioun dinners at home all the time) All the food served must have auspicious meanings. Mumsie used to slog with the maids in the ktchen cooking and cooking and there was this year when mumsie was frying her auspicious mushroom and fat choy dish....CSM called....emertency caesar!!. Now started about 4 years back mumsie ordered from the restaurant...year the whole set..Mumsie will sent all her beutiful plates and ect ect to the restuarant one day before and will collect them on the night of the reunion dinner..The Yee Sang after being attacked by the chop sticks....

This is the prawn dish...a must have..cos prawns stands for (IN CANTONESE...HEE HA TAI SIEW) happiness...so that through out the year after eating this one will be laughing (happy) throughot the year.

This is the chicken soup dish..with mushrooms which stands for every thing will run smoothly for you throughout the year!

This is called the 'four treasures' dish with suckling pig and and roast chicken and vegi and one mysterious 'wrapped gold nugget'..

This is a also a must...Fish dish...'nien nien u yew' Which means that you are never without food....

This is pi par duck and abalone...sorry forgot the name of this dishes...should have kept the menu....anyway must be something auspicious..too.

Well every year the only outsider that was invited to the reunion dinner is 'uncle Whyner' being an Euraision he doesn't have reunion dinners and more over his family (by the way he is a bachelor) is in Malacca.. and since he is working in the church...mumsie invited him home and this has become tradition...(and he happened to be David's Godpa too) And so a very happy mumsie (with her family) had a very nice reunion dinner that new year eve...Oh we 'cartered' the 'whole table' of food from a nearby restaurant..

ie the newly renovated Chinese Restaurang at the golfing range..after renovation and the new management the whole place looks quite 'posh'

MUMSIE'S CNY DECOR

Every Chinese New Year mumsie will buy lots and lots of CNY flowere....wonder if my little ones remember...See this photo was taken more than 7
years ago...See the flowers @ the back...The house hasn't been renovated yet...taken in front of the front door....
Another one taken in front of the front door with Fairy our dog.

Behind this 'holy door' are shoes....Must admit mostly mumsie's shoew.......around 20 pairs or more...????

THIS is taken in front of the other front door

Oranges are put in different baskets and all over the house..Watch out there will be some more but diffent designs

Oranges again but with some flower arrangement on top. Gotta replace them on & off

Another of mumsie's arrangement for the alter

A close- up view

Even above mumsie's bed is filled with CNY cards

Those little guys are positions of spotsmen.... 1st one is badminton 2nd is golfing 3rd is basket ball and 4th guy is cricket....When mumsie is freeeeeee mumsie will change some of their positions

Got these 2 vases this year....fell in love with the wordings on it...One is 'fook' and the other is 'marn' Join them together is 'FOOK MARN' translated is FULL OF PROSPERITY!!! See gotta to get 2 to make the words complete...In fact mumsie got 4- 2 for the clinic and 2 for the house

Mumsie's water lilly are just nice for CNY..this is the 'night types' which means they only open at night...they close up @ day time

Another night water lilly

This pot of flowers (chrysanthemum) bloom very well with the artifical light shinning on it everynight.

The night water lilies closed up during the day time...That's shy mumsie went round hunting for night and day plants...so that they flowers througout the day & nite...(Learn this on the internet and how to differentiate them from the net too.

Theses are the day flowers

Even this plant is decorated for CNY

This is taken more thant 5 years ago cos Daniel has been away for @ least that long. Front door before renovation..

Taken @ the side door...which after renovation became the Front door...See just as many flowers...

It was easy to get all mumsie's little ones together when they are 'little' ... wonder when can mumsie get all of them together for CNY???

The same spot like the one before this...but slightly differen after renovations

Dunno what these flowers are called in ENGLISH but in Chines they are cllled 'ginger flowers ' but mumsie soaks them in water cos they live longer....and stay fresh....for at least a month...nt gotta change water every 2-3 days..The boxing glove beneath it is framed upt just in case........................... Cos once upon a time Mohd Ali wore it and 'boxed' with it so it is not cheap...it also came with a certificate!!! And his signature is on the glove!!

Every year this decor is a must..AND this has to be here for at leastst 15 days .(according to Lilian Too) BUTMUMSIE started doing this before Lillian started her 'FENG SUI'. Mumsie's mummy taught me.. This decor must have 'FATT KOU" Immagine after 15 days...how FATT it becomes!!!!! mandrin oranges and kat chye, Bananas....As Green as possible...so that it will last 15 days too. Pineapples...to welcome `ong'

This is the 3rd Pineapple plant from HSBC. Yeah mumsie has been getting one for the past 2 years...(it's not cheap)...it cost about $350/

Mumsie's CNY flowers

Daddy is practicing his photography 'talent'

Mumsie's day time water lilly

Every year mumsie soak these pussy willows in water but this year mumsie planted them in soil...was a bit worried that they may not 'FATT' but hey presto they do just as great but with much more hard work...gotta to keep on putting ice on them.See the green leaves???Mustn't but them with blooms...gotta to 'bloom' them yourself...

(Lilian Too said)

With help of the electrician mumsie managed to hang up these laterns and dragon every year!!

Mumsie got this Door Decor from Shanghai..even

before the renovations....Just the right size....CLEVER MUMSIE

These 2 red BALLS has been with Mumsie for quite some time....Round round the whole of JB the other day trying to find replacement (cos they have faded a bit) but not even one....Even sent SOS to S'pore but no big ones like these.

See this is the other door...THE MAIN DOOR and mumsie got the overhead decor form Shanghai too ( Gotta hide them whilst shopping FROM dadda mumsie is not allowed to shop 'rubbish' home)

One of mumsie's flower arrangement

Beautiful hydrations....just bloom in time for CNY

Mumsie 'pulled' out 2 tiny leaves whilst walking by the road side...(another rubbish) Now look at them after 2 years....

Another of mumsie's orange creations....Gotta have this all over the house

The left over hampers.... Even this plant is 'dressed' up for CNY

Another of mumsie's ornage creation... Look care

fully @ the twigs....they are tiny leaves growing out from them....

All over the house mumsie put these orange decor and since this is year of the pig...mumsie got out this crystal pig (Mumsie got this @ the Robinson's sales @ S'pore more than 10 years ago (ANOTHER OF MUMSIE'S RUBBIH collection)Well gotta end...mumsie's eyes can hardly open...