All I want for Christmas is yoooouuuuuu!

I'm sure everybody is still in holiday mood. Christmas has just passed and the count down to new year has already begun! As mentioned millions of times, I won't be celebrating NYE anywhere - I'll be staying home, refuse to beat the traffic and try to mend my wound.. literally.. hehehe.

I've been visiting many blogs I normally frequented to see and get excited about their Christmas presents but I think you guys are still on holiday and that means from blogging too!

Anyway, as blogged earlier, Christmas dinner this year was at home just me and some really close friends. I had fun mixing drinks and roasting turkey drumsticks though.. and my favorite Christmas tunes were blaring in the background.. and had to stop because my stupid iPod hung midway through.. Thank God for good movies on TV!

So Okay, I wanna share with you guys what I gave and got for Christmas this year. Remember I blogged about wanting to use a Blackberry earlier this year? So, that's what exactly I got... and my few months itch has been cured! :)

And what did I give the person who made my wish come true? A bow-tie! And a night to remember! hehehe! Well, it's not really a 'real' bow-tie, it's... well, a picture worth an explanation. Interpret however you want.. I won't elaborate.

And here's a nice video for you!

Christmas Dinner!

For more pic, go to Facebook!

So last night I had a small dinner gathering with Bo, my sister and some of our closest friends. I actually planned the dinner to be small with just six people. Reasons being; a) I have small apartment and even smaller dinner table and b) I had ordered a small boneless lamb leg...should be enough for six persons. But at the last minute, Bo invited more people so I have to prepare more for dinner. The lamb alone wouldn't do.. So I rushed to Cold Storage on Wednesday to get a couple of turkey drumsticks and had them roasted yesterday.

It was a nice dinner and the lamb was so nice! I ordered it from Uno (Italian restaurant) for RM300 inclusive of Christmas cake (that traditional fruit cake with rum, yummy!) and the sauces.. The mushroom sauce that came with the lamb was to die for!! I'm so ordering from Uno again next year!

There were drinking involved.. Of course! Since Bo had just returned from the Thai border, he bought a bottle of rum for me to mix Daiquiri with! It's super nice! I made a few jugs of Margaritas and the boys didn't mind the girly drinks! I think I need to get a proper blender to "properly" crush the ice!

This morning we woke up early for a game of golf with the boys... Just like last year, I won the pool money and I think it really was my Christmas present. Not bad for the last game of golf in 2009!

Casino Royale, Menggatal Style!

I am contemplating whether to go home for Chinese New Year next year... It falls on Valentine's Day!

I had a brief discussion about it with Bo today and he thinks it's not really a good idea since we just went back about 2 weeks ago.. And then, I am not sure if I'd be fit to travel during that time... But of course that is not final yet... Maybe, just maybe you'd see us gambling away at my grandma's place while waiting for the Lion Dance aka tuntun chang to come.

This year's lion was pink and cute!!! He was drunk by the time he got home.

I know in KK, during the Chinese New Year, it's a common sight. You'll see gamblers everywhere!

When I was small, Chinese New Year is the only time I was allowed to play card games.. I remember our local card games was called "kuah merah", "cangkul", "cho tai ti", etc.. I can't remember the rest.. they were so many... There'd be "katam katam" too.. that would be my favorite because it looked so easy but the only easy thing about it was to lose my angpow monies!

I wonder if these games are being played by the young ones nowadays?

Chinese New Year at my granny's this year 2009

Now as I grow older and earn my own money, the elderly don't mind if I play a game or two with them. But, to enjoy the game, you'd have to think and act fast because they'd get irritated if you're slow... Bo had his fair share of shouts and screams from the uncles and aunts when he first learned the Rummy.

Next year's CNY won't be an exception... there'll be tables and tables of games.. Russian Poker, Black Jack, Rummy, to name a few.. But I wish there's a table for roulette games too! That'd be cool! With that, my grandma's quiet kampung in Menggatal can be another Casino Royale... Hehehe!

4 Weddings & A funeral..

Wow, we are only halfway through December! How I can't wait for Christmas and other events happening this month!

First of all, they'll be weddings to attend. All four of them actually! I have attended two so far, of Bo's friend and a long lost friend of mine, who I got reconnected through Facebook just this year... Amazing, isn't it? I haven't seen Azura since she moved to All Saint's school in 1991! It's almost 20 years! And seeing her today was super exciting! She hasn't changed much! I hope she doesn't mind me posting her picture up with make up half done!

To Azura: Congratulations Azura!! It was so nice to see you again after all these years!

Another two will be on the next Sunday. Both are Malay weddings.

Ok, I have a confession to make... A trip to a rumah anak yatim some time ago left me with only three pairs of Baju Kurungs now, I gave the rest to the rumah yatim.. And now I'm thinking of getting another one, just for these weddings and maybe re-use them for next Raya... And nice pair of ready-made baju kurung now is not cheap.

Anyway, in between the happy news of friends getting married... we received a bad news. An uncle has passed away while on a trip to Sarawak to meet with his children. He was a good man. He will forever be missed and remembered.

So, December this year is not only about Christmas to me, it's also about these four weddings and a funeral! Hence the title.. Nothing to do with the movie...

By the way, check out this online casinos for real money if you are a real gambler. Hehehe..

After almost 10

More pics, go to FB.. here

2nd picture was taken from Dolly's blog - http://rasasayangsabah.blogspot.com/

My KK trip this time was a short one.. It was for a weekend to curb my "overflowing" craves for all foods Sabahan... AND more importantly, I made this trip for my class of '94 reunion party.

It was in year 2000 when we had our very first reunion get together. I didn't remember the year but recent gathering made me. Back then, some of us were still students and unmarried and it was easier to meet because we had more free time in our hands and less commitment. I wish I could get the picture from that first reunion..

Anyway, this second reunion was initiated as we were "re-united" again in Facebook. There are almost 20 of us in FB, of the 44 or more. Some are not computer savvy, some just don't get into FB bandwagon, some has moved and lost touch altogether and one has sadly passed on.

Unfortunately, some of our friends couldn't make it to the reunion and the number of people expected was reduced to half. But it was fun nonetheless.. especially when two of our favorite teachers actually came and share some stories! I especially loved the "Do you remember when..." session.. There was a mix of emotions when we talked about the old times.. Made me want to go back to that time again..

The party lasted longer than we expected. We had laughter and tears, but best of all we got to see each other again after almost 10 years! I am already looking forward to our third reunion next year... And this time, we are thinking of involving more people and get more teachers to join..