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Happy Friday!

Valentines

Last Saturday was Valentine's Day. My husband was away to conduct a three-day long camp for the group of scouts whom he is leading.

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I was not too affected that he could not be around on this day. Maybe I am a boring person. I really feel that Valentine's Day is really an over-rated event. Something to encourage consumers to part with the dollars in their pockets.

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When mom came to know that I would be Ms Lonesome this year for Valentines, she "invited" me to stay over at her place on Friday night so she could keep me company on Saturday. "It's Valentines you know! Ok you can join me and my "boyfriend", but you can't look if we kiss kiss!." Naturally, her "boyfriend" is none other than my dad :-).

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We could not decide where to go on Saturday for dinner. We knew that restaurants would be expensive and prices would definitely be exorbidant. When my brother heard us discussing our plans for his Saturday, he self-invited his family to join us. And decided to go to Terminal 3's Swenson's Restaurant for early dinner to avoid the crowd.

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We were glad to have arrived early around 5pm. There was no queue but clearly many tables decorated with heart-shaped balloons and roses for the lovebirds willing to part their $88++ per person for the Valentines Set Dinner on their menu.

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I ordered the Salad Bar Buffet which only this branch of Swenson's that I have come across served. I was "served" by my two nephews ever fascinated with topping the plates with fresh greens, nuts and fruits while I stood by their side and pretended to order.

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After dinner, we spent some time walking around this very vast terminal that opened only last year.

It could be due to the finance situation that is weighing down the shoulders of everyone, there seemed to be lesser ladies walking around with big bouquet of roses which used to be a common sight on past years.

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Hubs came back on Sunday afternoon tired but happy to have had a successful camp to orientate the fresh lot of scouts that just joined. I knew that he would usually be quite worn-out after such camps and did not want to suggest going out for lunch or dinner. I cooked some simple dishes with brown-rice porridge for us. He slept the Sunday afternoon away and we watch DVDs in the night.

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So, it was the most uneventful Valentines to blog about. But somehow I did not feel lonesome at all. And I am sure our love did not grow any lesser. In fact the mutual trust and consideration might have quietly strengthened it.

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How was your Valentines?

Active Lifestyle

Mom's in her early sixties and still leading a rather active lifestyle. I just spoke to her after my lunch over the phone. She just got back from a rehersal for a Chinese New Year Dinner performance tomorrow night. She is now taking a short nap before she gets ready for a Chinese New Year Dinner gathering with friends in the same neighbourhood tonight.

Counting the number of times that she has already Lo Hei these two weeks, I am happy to say that my parents are really leading quite a happening lifestyle for senior citizens. For non-Asians' information, Lo Hei is a big salad-like dish that all would toss the cut up vegetables together before eating. It's like a celebration dish for the beginning of the year.

I admire senior citizens with a fulfilling lifestyle. My parents exercise every morning at a park near our place with their friends. My father just walks a little and chats with his friends most of the time. My mom, on the other hand, would be sure to walk for one hour briskly in the morning. She used to be able to run 5km easily everyday until doctor advised her to slow down to walking.

They travel quite a few times a year, too. China is their favourite destination as most of their friends favour this for language and diet reasons. My father especially loves to go for cruises. He loves the sea and relaxing holiday types.

As I pen this post, I really feel happy for them.

Mom has had a tough childhood having to stay at a rich family as maid since she was about ten years old. She was the only daughter in the family and (unfortunately) my grand parents did not see as much need of educating a girl compared to the boys. Hence my mom had to stop schooling to bring in the bucks to bring her little brothers to school. Pa had worked since young too. Selling fruits by the roadside which was considered illegal then. When he got a stall to sell fruits, life did not get easy has fruits turn bad rather quickly and he often had to open the stall for long hours for higher chances of selling the fruits while they were still fresh.

Now that they are both retired and still pretty healthy except for some joint aches very common for people of their age, I am glad that their lifestyle is getting more happening than ever.

15 Days of Chinese New Year

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T'S STILL CONSIDERED CHINESE NEW YEAR. In case you are not familiar with the Lunar Calendar, Chinese New Year celebrations last the first 15 days of this year of the Ox. It's a really festive occasion for the Chinese. Lot's of food and visitings and Ang Pao's for the kids.

On the Eve of the First Day of Chinese New Year, nearly all Chinese families would have Reunion Dinner. Some view this as the most important meal of the year. A time for all to come together and feast.

On the first few days of Chinese New Year, there would be lots of visitings and more feasting. Today is the 11th day of the Chinese New Year, and we are still getting invitations from vendors to treat us Chinese New Year lunches! Yeah, it's a time definitely to run and exercise more to shed the extra calories.

The 7th Day of the Chinese New Year is called Ren Ri. I am not sure if I translate it well, but it's kind of the common birthday of everyone. On that day, we wished everyone "Happy Birthday!". No pressies though.

On the 15th Day of the Chinese New Year, it's called Yuan Xiao Jie. Somewhat like the Chinese version of Valentines Day. It's a coincidence that this day would fall on next Monday while the western's highly celebrated Valentines' Day would be celebrated on next Saturday. Next week would indeed be full of celebration of love!

Happy Valentines' Day to All!