More Than Miriam: Chinese New Year

Usually, I don't like Chinese New Year. I have vague childhood memories of trying to hide in the toilet to read my books, which didn't work because sooner or later another relative would knock on the door to use the toilet (or perhaps hide away as well), and I would have to hastily cram my book up my t shirt and scuttle out to find another place to reclusify myself. Or sitting round a cluedo game with no clue who the murderer was and thinking 'All I honestly want is to know is who the murderer is in 'A Murder is Announced'.'

Thankfully I grew up (although books are still a staple, as is Agatha Christie occasionally)

We began the New Year with Ama's Cake, a spongy yellow cake made by my Ama. (THE MATRIACH and sole survivor of my Gong Gong's three wives) The cake has 12 eggs (!!! goodbye vegan dreams) inside it and millet flour and requires approximately an hour of non stop beating before it is ready to steam.

The MATRIACH

We had Family orange/angpao exchange and picture taking (the light was horrible and there is the silhouette of the table we propped it up on on the bottom of the photo so I won't show it...this is an edited/filtered blog even though it is private), and then we headed to my Ama's house. Unfortunately, this year most of the cousins/aunts/uncles sort of flitted in and out, for a quick distribution of angpaos/a drink of angzhouteh/a bite of tanghoon/conversation about how people have grown and asking about our education. Tim commented in the lift on the way down, "You can tell our family doesn't really care, or they would stay longer." Which was exaggerated, although perhaps to some degree true.

Anyway, from the snippets of conversation I heard here is the latest Yeo family news or just interesting things:

1) Sian is audtitioning in two dance schools in London (therefore her absence from the cousins photo) and sends her greetings via recorded ipad video of her issuing Chinese couplets whilst holding two oranges.
2) JinXiang is in the film industry and has done one documentary and one local film about hanging and has made the discovery that in the media industry gay men wear polka dots.
3) Lauren is finishing her University course in a couple of months and did not like her SPH internship. (which makes her the second person I've talked to who didn't. Hmmm 2/2 who didn't like SPH...)
4) Mark (the eldest brother in the Mark Luke and John trio)is actually 17 and not 15 as I thought.
5) Zenia went to Finland in the holidays (glorious!!!!) and has applied to US and Canadian universities.
6) Beatrice knows alot more about Chinese culture than Hannah, Tim and I and is finishing her university course soon too.

Cousins + the eternal matriach

Yeos

I really like how somehow Hannah, Tim and I all wore shades of blue. We got home and took advantage of the evening light and our new camera to take a few photographs. Also, Tim decided to chase a Rooster that was casually minding it's own business in the garden near our house, and we found a new swing! Hannah and I also engaged in some full on intense ahir whipping ala tumblr girl hair flick style but I don't think quite the same effect was achieved... And of course, we took some family photographs.