:: squeak ::

2 more days till it's officially Chinese New Year and a brand new cycle of the 12 chinese zodics.

The checklist:

1) Spring-Cleaning... is coming along slowly!!! I started with my room *such an obedient gal* and wait till the eve to clean up the living room as it tends to get messed up easily!

2) Decoration.. have been put up. We bought some really cheap ones from Toa Payoh Hub. $1 each for a pair of 'rats' holding couplets and a 'chun' (those felt kind) such a great bargain.

3) Flowers... are usually bought on the eve where there is a great bargain at Chinatown. However, we will buy pussy willow earlier for decoration :D So the Nursery it was where Mom & I went last night. There were loads more different species of flowers that were brought in this year. AWWWW so pwetty :D

4) the GOODIES... have been given by friends and we bought some too :D they are neatly arranged and other than pineapple tarts, my family is not a big snack muncher kind-of ppl! poor mom has to slowly eat them so as not to waste it all!!

I really can't believe it's almost CNY! I've not been to Chinatown for the walk-walk, will usually do so on the eve to get great bargains and to 'immerse' myself in the CNY atmosphere. It's quite a *ecentric* (for the lack of a better word) thing for me as I really DISLIKE crowd but will still go to Chinatown to get jostled with/at... >_<

Good news my cough is getting better. Went to see a Chinese sin-seh on the recommendation of IG. The diagnosis? Weak lungs - can't take cooling food like cold water, radish, 'chai -po', but at the same time, I must avoid certain 'heaty' herbs! What a contradiction, but it's nothing new to me as other Chinese doctors and from my own observation, I will start coughing once I take a certain herb. He gave me 5 different kind of medicines and I've been taking it RELIGIOUSLY despite the liquid/syrup that tastes really awful!

Hence, I enjoyed myself when the paternal side of the family had our Reunion lunch yesterday at Zi Yean. We were stuffed as there were far too much food for a table of 9 each (there were 3 tables - yes I've a BIG family :D) and too many small eaters around. But oh... I do love Yu-Sheng and I had my very 1st one for the year! :D yippee...

Decided to do some last minute shopping at Vivo City after lunch, while my brothers opted for the more 'upmarket' Paragon to do theirs! I have new clothes *several in fact* but not all are meant for CNY visiting. Currently I have 1 and a half new clothes - a shirt (to be paired with my jeans) and a dress. I was hoping to get something for maybe the 3rd and 4th day but all the stores were packed!!! Queues to the fitting room and cashier were long, the stores were packed! I just walked in, took a turn and came out. It really did not help when people were jostling away and oblivious of others who were trying to move in the store. They just stood at the middle of the pathway expecting others to squeeze through them????? I GAVE UP!!! Mom, on the other hand, managed to get a few tops *lucky her*. Leaving the shopping centre kinda disappointed but then I guess I saved some $$ for my trip :) Think positive, Fiona!