"Dabaos" (Doggie bags) After the Christmas Party

Written by Mrs. Money

I only organized a dinner-party once a year mainly for my own blood-tied family members, the reason was I missed those old aunties, cousins and also hardly met little nieces and nephews. If I didn't initiate a dinner-party, only way I meet my kindred will be during next family member's wedding or funeral, and this kind of occasion is actually becoming rare or nil within next 10 years due to only four most elderly kindred alive and those nephews and nieces are still too young to get married!

During last decade when those elderly uncles and aunties passed away only once I could attend for my youngest aunt's funeral and I was the only one who represented 20 over cousins. Right after my dad's youngest brother passed away, I remember my youngest sister called me said she had a dream of our uncle then next day she received sad new even she was somewhere remote in China, it was the time she was sent by Siemen to train those Chinese engineer and she shed tears silently with the rest of sisters in every corners of the world and we also lamented an era has past. Now most cousins have reached their 40s and most probably remained only half of our life able to catch up each others but how often we will be able to get together?

6 years ago, when my dad's youngest brother passsed away, my dad lost his drive to live on; then I came to scene told him sensibly, "Look, you still have a youngest daughter to lead up the aisle and a retarted younger sister to take care of, God makes you stay because you still have duties in this parallel world!" My dad is a dad with great wisdom, unfaded alertness and intelligent despite of physical aging, immediately he changed his unusual pessimistic altitude.

It came to my head that we cousins mostly have reached an age got to watch out for cholesterol and sugar intake, healthy foods were carefully prepared for the feast. I thought of rarely prepared meats and exclusive sweet things were used to pamper those little those nieces and nephews yet something amazingly common they were more keen to share, though they actually hardly or even never met each others yet unexpected they all retreated quietly nesting in a bedroom reading their comics, I realized that these days foods have actually becoming well-pampered youngsters' secondary interest.

My grandma used to make us memorized a Wong family old poem in foochow with treats when we were young, I think this poem has greatly influenced our Wong's family care and love spirits amongst each and everyone through generations.

Six Leaves Poem

Six leaves germinated all at once and grew together;

Never due to separation caused misunderstanding;

Every reunion everyone would again get older;

Hardly remained chances for brotherhood.

Though cousins got the blood-tied but not their counterparts, somehow for the "male cousin and cousins-in-law" they grew fond of each others through beers and wines but for the "female cousins and cousin-in-law" we all grew fond of each others through after party "dabao" of vegetables, herbs or fruits from the garden; luckily I prepared only the exclusive crusines, so those "dabaos" actually would never turn into real doggie bags!

Specially appreciate my cousin Yellow Ant, new "cousin-in-law " Winston and aunty Alice's assistance to make this family gathering a meaningful one.

Now I am looking forward for Christmas dinner cum family gathering of 2010!




My cousin back from eastern Europe surprised to find out Dill Officinalis thrive well in my garden

This chili padi to replace Christmas flowers "poinsettia"

Cilandro seedlings grew on time for the Christmas feast Persian salad, brinning and garnishing, so hard to find cilandro in Kuching. I bought the Holland peak soil (a bag of RM40+) finally I saw the seeds germinated.

Passion fruits never made it for Christmas but will be for tiger Chinese New Year. I am still waiting for a fully ripen passion fruits, I think it will take two months from flowers to mature fruits.

Well camauflaged fruits are protected from pests.

Drinks for the family gathering

Fruits from Money Tai Tai dad's old home garden

Everyone especially loved these mangis inside a super big paper box from Money Tai Tai dad's old home garden

Niece and Nephew's favorite EE Yellow Ant with uncle Winston with Money Tai Tai's Christmas tree

Nieces with Christmas tree

All nieces and nephews nesting to read comics in a toys infested bedroom