Chinese New Year

So, another year has passed again.
According to the Chinese calendar this time.

This year, even though the routine was the same,
there are more babies to give red packets to.

Seriously, you darn cousins.
Why the hell must you guys get married and have babies?
Your kids make me feel old.

Disclaimer: The kid who calls me "aunt" will die.
Saying that though, my younger cousins have all started calling me "auntie",
and they start chuckling when I give them the death stare.
Omigosh, they actually think my death stare is funny.
Even my friends shut up when I give my death stare -.-
Kids nowadays...
Something must be wrong with their heads.

Back to the topic of red packets.
I think it's really sad to see how CNY has become a yearly routine that revolves around money.
And the darn goodies that tempt you and make you fat.

I don't really care about the money now,
nor the goodies.

CNY is the only time in the year I visit my grandaunt in the nursing home.
She used to be fine every year,
with the usual "I'm growing more haggard" look,
but I guess that's natural when you age, and are stuck in a wheelchair for life.

She had a stroke back when I was a kid with my age still single digit then,
and has been paralyzed in the left side of her body since then.
Even her speech is slurred cos she can't move half of her mouth.

This year her words just became exceptionally slurred,
to the point where we couldn't understand what she was saying.
And her memory became exceptionally bad too.
Like, major turn for the bad much.

And it's probably not the time to worry,
but I can't help worrying.
All these past years, I would just wheel her out to the vendetta during our annual CNY visit,
and back to her bed.
But this year, she insisted on going somewhere else.
And she could barely wheel herself either.
To the chapel, she pointed,
but then she wanted to venture to the male side of the nursing home,
which I had to do so while my dad persuaded her to go back to her room.

Maybe I'm just paranoid,
but it seems that she is taking a turn for the worse.

The red packets too...
My aunt prepared some red packets for her to give to us,
and she put it in her bag, or so she said.
But it couldn't be found in there when we checked,
so some relatives suspected that maybe the staff or someone took it.

Upon hearing us discuss where the money could have disappeared to,
she kept insisting that she willingly gave away the red packets to others.
Which is sad.

It makes me really sad.
I really don't think that CNY should be about the money.
Who cares if the red packets were stolen?
I honestly don't.
Seeing my grandaunt in such a plight is terrible.
And seeing her defend the staff...
It's the first time I ever left the nursing home with such a heavy heart.
It's actually worrying.

I don't even know how to put it in words...
This feeling...

Not that I should be worrying about this right now.
Not that I can do anything about it either.

Saying that, I shouldn't even be typing out this blog at this unearthly hour,
when I should be working on my dissertation right now.
I need to get this done and sent out by Friday,
and I have 2 more points to complete.
Gah...

24

This year has been a memorable one, I must say.

Used to be envious of people with LOADS of birthday gifts,
but I guess I've passed the age of being envious and wanting presents.
Cos honestly,
to me,
it's the thought that counts.

And this year, surprisingly I had so many people celebrating it with me.
4 celebrations, 3 birthday cakes.

Thank you all.

To Janice, for the simple yet heartfelt dinner at Esplanade, and going with me to Ben & Jerry's later on,
where the usual gang was taken aback by my unannounced appearance LOL.

Thank you MBS for the unexpected fireworks.
Even though I know it's not for me, I shall firmly believe that it was so (hahaha!!)

Thank you Allie, Amos, Mel, Vij, Jourdan, for:
1) Making me dance with some random dude in B&J.
2) For the surprise tiramisu cake that apparently melted off the tray (*hint* NEVER trust guys with cakes hahaha!!)
3) For hijacking my phone and texting Tim, pretending to be me. At least you guys managed to weasel out a birthday greeting from him haha =P
4) For KIDNAPPING me to Clarke Quay and putting me on the Bungy ride.

It was a wonderful (or rather, the most horrifying) start to my birthday ever, lol.
Matt was OVERJOYED upon hearing that I was forced up the Bungy ride.
He had been waiting for this day for the longest time ever,
to see me on that thing, hahaha =)

You should have heard him laugh when I told him =(

Thank you Carol, Pet, Steven, Junhoong, Jet, Matt, Jon, Edward and Janice (again) for celebrating my birthday after church.
And to Pet's mum for the birthday cake.
Homemade cake still tastes the best =)

Thank you to Sean for the birthday well-wishes.
I'm forever 10!! How could you forget!?
Tsk... *shakes head*

To Mr Timothy O'Dwyer,
I am soooooooooo sorry about the text messages and phone call. I wasn't the one who planned it.
But thank you for your well-wishes, and apology for not being to attend.
Rest assured that I will hold another celebration and force you to attend this time *evil laughter* LOL.
I hope you had a safe flight to Hanoi.
Enjoy yourself there and I'll see you soon.

p.s: I'm still upset that you couldn't make it last night by the way. Why did you have to fly off on my birthday? *whines*

As I said,
it's the thought that counts.
And for them to take time out to bake a cake,
plan a surprise for me,
and to celebrate with me even though it's CNY eve, and they probably should be somewhere at home helping out,
I'm really grateful.

It's not about receiving monetary token as birthday greetings,
or presents.
But knowing that I mean enough to these people for them to celebrate with me,
I'm really grateful.

Thank you all once again.
And love you guys.

❤❤❤
Yuri