Reunion Dinner With Lak Chek

p/s: Double Click the slide for a larger view!

Date: 18-Dec-2009
Time: 7pm
Venue: Klang Seafood Restaurant

Congratulations to Deanne & Steve on their engagement.
Welcome to the family Steve!

Here are some group photos:

Here's another one... just for fun :P

Amazing Sand-painting - A Language in itself

When talent comes in the form of sand-painting like this, one gets blown away by the power that it holds as a language.

Watch this beautiful (and touching) display of pure talent..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOhf3OvRXKg

Charlie bit me!

Hi there,
If you haven't been formally introduced to Charlie before, here's Charlie..(click below):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM&NR=1&feature=fvwp

And here's the funky version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOle1AnPOc4&feature=related

Lost in Translation..

This is a true story from the Japanese Embassy in US!

A few days ago, Prime Minister Mori was given some Basic English conversation training before he visits Washington and meets president Barack Obama...

The instructor told Mori Prime Minister, when you shake hand with President Obama, please say 'how r u'.

Then Mr. Obama should say, 'I am fine, and you?'

Now, you should say 'me too'.

Afterwards we, translators, will do the work for you.'

It looks quite simple, but the truth is...

When Mori met Obama , he mistakenly said 'who r u?' (Instead of 'How r u?'.)

Mr. Obama was a bit shocked but still managed to react with humor: 'Well, I'm Michelle's husband, ha-ha...'

Then Mori replied 'me too, ha-ha.. .'.

Then there was a long silence in the meeting room.

Sherry and Tung Wedding Photos

Portable Gas Stove Explodes!

Worth checking your next steamboat meal, and the safety of your gas stove..

Danger of Portable Gas Stoves
Now that I’ve warned you about the pictures I’m going to warn you about something else that will hopefully help you, or someone you know, avoid going through the same trauma that my wife, Kaori, and her family went through. It was Kaori’s last day with her family in Vancouver , Canada before going back to Japan . And like many Japanese celebrations this one involved food… lots of food.

Yakiniku it was - so out came the meat and veggies and we fired up the portable gas stove that we see used in many restaurants and households in Korean and Japanese influenced parts of the world. Just as we had done hundreds of times before for yakiniku, sukiyaki, shyabu shyabu or nabe parties - we all gathered around and cooked our food on the gas stove which was placed in the center of the table. The marinated meat and tons of little side dishes, Kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage), Chapchae (stir fried noodles) and Namul (seasoned spinach), that we bought from the local Korean market were delicious.

After cooking for a while the house started to get a little smokey so we opened the windows. The cool breeze felt great and the smoke quickly cleared. We were just about to wrap things up. The kids had already eaten and they were playing with their Transformers on the other side of the room. The adults were grilling the last of the meat, drinking a couple beers and chit chatting… and that’s when it happened. A flash of orange followed by a deafening bang! The butane canister inside to the portable gas stove had exploded. One side of the table… the side where Kaori, her mom and sister were sitting, was engulfed in flames. Before they could react a monstrous fireball of burning gas wrapped around them and tumbled towards the ceiling and out the window. After the initial explosion, the gas from the canister which covered the girls was still burning. They were on fire.

We were all in shock… then came the panic and screaming…then crying. The smell of burnt skin and hair was overwhelming. Kaori’s father Sako made sure the kids were OK… then we got wet towels to cool the burns. We called 911 and, after what seemed like an eternity, the ambulance and fire trucks arrived. The three girls were rushed to the hospital and treated for severe burns. Below are photographs taken of Kaori shortly after the incident.

As you can see her entire body was charred. I can’t even imagine how much pain she went through both physically and emotionally.

One side of her face was burned but her eyes weren’t - luckily she still has full vision.

This pictures was taken before the skin peeled. She has severe scars on both of her hands and back. Going to the beach and sunbathing is no longer an option. If she goes in the sun for even a short period of time she must wear the strongest protection, SPF-85 sunblock . Her skin is scarred badly and any sunlight will just make the scarring worse.

The flames wrapped around her body and burned her back and shoulders. She was wearing a tank top at the time of the accident so that didn’t help. Can you imagine what it was like to take a shower after being burned like this? Looking at these pictures brings back horrible memories.

Here’s a picture of the actual portable gas stove that exploded. The insurance company determined that the stove was faulty - the gas canister was too close to the flame causing it to become hot and explode. Both the manufacturer of the stove and the Canadian distributor, which were both based in Korea , are nowhere to be found. Needless to say we will not go to a restaurant that uses any type of portable gas stove. Our family and all of our friends have thrown away their butane stoves and we now use a safe electric grill instead.

[Photos & Video] Loong & Miyuki's Wedding

Finding Ah Mah and Ah Kong's tomb for our Qing Ming..

Auntie Nellie and I managed to find the tomb of Ah Kong and Ah Mah last Friday morning, using our own 'GPS' system in our memory from last year..so our mini-Amazing Race was successful.

We decided to take a photo of the area to help us get to it with ease the next time around. Our guidepost now is the tomb-area with pink-coloured tiles by the top of the road (2nd photo), before walking down towards Ah Mah and Ah Kong's tomb.

We also stopped by to snap 1 additional photo..guess where this one was taken?

[Photos & Video] Qing Ming 5th April 2009

JK Rowling's Commencement Speech in Harvard

A truly inspiring commencement speech by the Queen of Fantasy, JK Rowlings at the Harvard University last year that we should all listen to (or read, not just once but whenever) to rebuild the strengths in ourselves.

With daily news pointing to more and more people around us facing tough times, her words bring us a lot of poignant messages but the most important, in my view, was .. hope.
So, sit down and relax with a cuppa..

Part #1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pucdJHjZaqs
Part #2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIbTqNrxSV0&feature=related

Good News..Tung to Marry in May!

Good News from Melbourne (and Brisbane)..

"Anyway we would like both of you to know that Tung will be getting marry on 3.5.09 in Brisbane. Have told all the Klang folks but there will be no invites. We prefer a low key celebration and me,Kok Soo and Ching will go to Brisbane to join the bride's family for the wedding. Hope all of you understand." ..Dorreen Lee

Congratulations, Tung!

What's needed now is for all your lovely photos to be uploaded here..after your honeymoon, of course..

Chinese New Year in Melbourne, 2009

Reunion Dinner at 3-Ku's, bottom 'Lou-Sang' picture taken by Jaydon

Temple on the 1st day to 'po-pi'. Can't find any pictures of us in the temple ... must be too busy pai pai.

8th day Dinner at Wendy's. Food prepared by Chef Jeff Ah Kok, dessert (ABC) by 3-ku

14th Day Chinese New Year Festival at Glen Waverley; Lion Dance, Dragon Dance, even Mariachi Band hehe.

Happy New Year 2009 & Happy Birthday

01-01-2009…

Happy New Year Everybody!!!

and…

Happy Birthday to Yi Yi!!!
Yi Yi had turned 18 years old this year and we have made a small celebration for her.

Menu
Main Course:
Curry Chicken
Fried Mee Hoon with Kao Bak
Traditional Meatball
Dumpling aka Guo Tie (Mandarin) or Wo Tip (Cantonese)

Dessert:
Ang Dau Teng with Ooh Jut Bi (Red Bean & Black Glutinous)
Jelly with fruits

Today’s Special:
Birthday Cake (Ice Cream Cake)

Credits
Main Chef (One Leg Kick ^__^) : Mommy
Jelly Department : Yi & Soo Yar (Our Friend)
Dumpling Department : Soo Yar, Yi & Yann
Traditional Meatball Department : Mei & Yi
Birthday Cake Transportation Department : Min & Kean Wai (Min’s Boyfriend)
Birthday Song Commander : Daddy
Photographer : Yann, Mei & Soo Yar
Security Officer : Jay Jay (Our dog)

Ah Mah’s Anniversary – 27th December 2008

There are only few of us who are present at our home for Ah Mah’s Anniversary this year.

Those present are Keong, Har, Robert, Kuo Hua, Kuo Hui, Puay, Mei, Min, Ye Fei, Yi, Ye Hong and me.

Mom did not cook much because not many are present. As usual, the “Cai Yen” was made by Kuo Hua. Here’s a photo slideshow of the dishes cooked, made and bought.

I dreamt of Ah Mah the day before her anniversary...

Mom, sisters and I went to a place that looks like a hospital to visit her.

She looks exactly like she was in this photo.

When she saw us, she kept smiling without saying a word.

And... I started to cry the moment I saw her.

I missed her so much…