Talk about a roaring start to a Chinese New Year! It’s the year of the tiger. On the first day of Chinese New Year, my wife and I went for a joyride on a scooter in Sagil. Mei Fen was behind the wheel. The kids were with us too, Hui Yan snugged between her parents, while Kit Yan was standing on the scooter’s foot stand. There we were, enjoying a time out as a complete family.

Suddenly out of nowhere a big black dog jumped in front of us! Experience taught us not to do anything drastic, like hitting it or running away. We can never outrun it. Besides the kids were with us, and if we sped away, we risk skidding on the small and sandy road.

Instead we just slowly maneuvered ourselves around it. The stupid dog just would not let us go. Seeing that its bark is not working, it used its next best weapon; its teeth. It sank its teeth to the nearest object it could get hold of, my left foot. It yanked hard, as if trying to dislodge my foot from my ankle. I felt a searing pain, and a warm liquid rolled out. Having chewed on my shoe, the dog felt that it has accomplished its mission, and it let us go. My wife took the chance and took us all away. I examined the damage. The shoes protected my foot somewhat, but my foot did sustain some damage. We didn’t say anything much about it, as we did not want to scare the kids. They still did not know what happened. Good, no point scaring them.

My foot was in a state that I could not wear anything that touches the wound. I had to get a pair of “selipar jepun” from the 7-Eleven next door. Then Mei Fen immediately brought me to a clinic in Tangkak. The doctor examined me and asked if it was a tiger attack, since it was the Year of the Tiger. Very funny doc. I got the rabies shot injection, just in case.

Damaged left foot. Gross, not for the faint hearted

Though I had difficulty walking, I went out to take pictures of my girls playing outside the house anyway. It was cute seeing Hui Yan playing with her elder sisters and cousins.

Can't seem to stand still

Hui Yan’s character is very much different from her sister.

One thing for sure, she loves doodling!

My father in law came home with a dead squirrel that he gunned down in his orchard. Kit Yan had a great time playing with it, thinking that it is a soft toy!

Hey look, my new toy!

More pictures here.

I know it’s kinda late to be talking about a Chinese New Year that has passed for almost half a year. But I thought I’d share the pictures out, since I’m compiling all the pictures now anyway. Of course, no celebration is complete without the inclusion of my family members. So here again I show to you Yan Yan in her naughty mood again:

She loves to try new things. Have a look at her taking on high heel shoes from her mum!

My sister Cheng came over to “pai nian” on the first day of CNY! Yeah, tradition says that married girls should only return to their parent’s home only on the 2nd day of CNY. But traditions can change right? Even my wife goes back to Sagil on that day too! It was mentioned during my previous entry about Cheng’s new car on that day.

Back in sagil, Yan Yan had a great time playing with her cousins and her aunties!

On the second day of CNY, there was this lion dance troupe. It was not a free thing though. An angpow was necessary. We made Yan Yan touch the lion’s head so that she will not be scared by it when the dance starts.

My wife was pregnant with our second baby that time, so my mother-in-law forbids her from watching the lions. You won’t be able to see her among the lion dance pictures.

I have seen houses being blessed, but I have never seen cars being blessed before! Check this out, my brother-in-law’s car is being blessed by those lions!

Later that same night we all went to Melaka on his newly blessed car! Hehehe. We went to Jonker Street to take some pictures.

Surprise surprise, I met with Heng Yarly and Uncle Lee Yieng Wei there! Small world huh? Right after I took this picture in fact:

We didn’t go anywhere else special during this year’s Chinese New Year. But it was fun nonetheless. For more pictures, head on to my gallery.