December 31, 2007

• Burp

  It’s been a blur of food and family from the past week.  On Christmas Eve, my bf and I enjoyed a
  scrumptious dinner with my bf of abalone and sea cucumber, roast duck w/ mango,
  birds nest soup w/ crab meat (he had shark’s fin) and fish in soy sauce.  We both agreed that everything was very good
  except for the fish.  It was great to
  spend some quality time with him after a busy week at work.  Christmas dinner was at my brother’s
  place.  He and his wife laid out
  champagne, pate, cheese, roast beef, cream of broccoli / potato soup, green
  beans, carrots and shrimps.  I had to
  skip desserts (or did I?).  This was
  followed by a frenzied gift exchange.  I
  don’t wrap any of my presents and just put them in gift bags with tissue paper
  that I’ve saved from previous gift exchanges. 
  As the gifts were being distributed, my gift to my brother kept coming
  back to my pile.  So I kept putting it
  back under the tree.  Finally it dawned
  on me that I forgot to take out the gift tag from last year.   
  

  My dad was very tired but he managed to make it through.  He fell asleep in the car by the first stop
  light.   My bf cooked up a storm for his
  family the same night.  Unfortunately I
  couldn’t be in two places at the same time. 
  He told me that he managed to replicate the abalone and sea cucumber
  dish that we had the previous night.  He
  has a flair for deconstructing dishes which is more difficult for me.   When I
  dropped by his place in the afternoon, one of his nephews was there and asked
  me how come I didn’t show up.  I had to
  explain that I had a family dinner to go to. 
  I guess I’m there so much he thinks I’m just part of the family. 

  The next night was another family dinner with my brother’s extended
  family.  They had a 23 pound roast turkey
  with stuffing, roasted red pepper soup, mash potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy,
  carrots and cakes.  Again I declined
  desserts but had a second helping of the turkey and the stuffing (and the sweet
  potatoes).   I waddled out the door and barely squeezed into my car.                                                                                       

  This
  was followed the next evening with a buffet with my bf’s extended family.  I nibbled… several times.   I got
  to feed the baby for a little while which was neat.  The kid just eats everything.  I can’t believe how fast he’s grown and he’s
  walking already. 

  After an offnight, there was another dinner for my brother’s
  mother in law.  I had managed to skip all
  her previous birthday dinners.  But my
  brother insisted (firmly begged?) so I went. 
  It was the usual small talk affairs with food brought in.  I don’t know how my brother and his wife keep
  their house so presentable while mine is just a mess.  I mean, even the beds for the cats are neat!  The only thing that makes me a bit
  uncomfortable in their house is their guest bathroom.  Everything is perfect.  The faucets are shiny, the guest towels are
  neatly folded, the magazines are current, the candles are always new but… there
  are pictures of friends and family every where. 
  So when you’re sitting down doing your business, everyone is staring at
  you.  There's at least a dozen pictures in there so it's not a simple matter of turning them around.  

  I don’t think I can even do a push up now.  The tummy is just getting in the way. 

  Have a great 2008 everyone! 

  • 11:41 AM
  • 10 Comments