“So, when ah?”

Doctor has informed us that our cough will last another 2 weeks. Great. Of course that doesn’t mean I’ll forfeit all the lo sang in between!

Chinese New Year is coming. This will be my first one as a wife, daughter-in-law and fresh-faced “auntie” to plonk your cute little bum in front of me and get an ang pow. Not forgetting I’ll be visiting KS’ clan in Masjid Tanah, Melaka on Day 1 where the expected question would be, “So when ah, are you expecting to start a family?”. And all this in Hakka. Swell. My sister-in-law won’t be back from Perth as she has to man the restaurant there single-handedly so my only ally is with my Mum-in-law.

What worries me is all the protocol I’m supposed to engage in. Seeing my sis go through the weirdest things like buying oranges, red plastic bags, tins of lychee or peaches as gifts when visiting relatives. Oh, and the number of oranges to be given must be of an even number except four. Not to mention the exchanging of new notes at the banks for the ang pows.

I’m going to miss all the good food I get at my Grandma’s in KL, or gloat over the fact that everyone has to travel somewhere for the Chinese New Year while I will slowly make my way to the heart of the city for the reunion dinner. The busiest roads will be quiet and everyone will be away from the city for a couple of days. Now I will join the throng of folks getting stuck at the Seremban highway on the eve.

My mum has warned me that now that some relatives know where I stay, they would certainly pay me a visit during this festive season and now I have to buy food/tidbits to store in the house. EEEEEEEE!!! I’m starting to do “grown-up” stuff!