Celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Earth Rat

Monday, 4 February 2008

It wasn't Chinese New Year's Eve and it wasn't Chinese New Year either but it was Family Home Evening. Since it was only a couple of days to the Chinese New Year (Thursday 7 February), Brother/Sister Ott decided to celebrate it and invited us to join them and their family for dinner.

There was no Chinese New Year festive atmosphere in Yuma. As of the year 2000 census, only 1.5% of the population of 77,515 in Yuma were Asian. So the past days were just like any other ordinary day.

I was impressed with Brother/Sister Ott's enthusiasm in the Chinese tradition. I was also impressed with the decorations they had put up: lanterns outside and inside the house, peach blossom flowers, oranges, angpows, chopsticks and different types of the festive's decorations.

Sister Ott looked good in the dark liver-colored Malaysian Baju Kelawar, standing at the tables that she has set, for the dinner tonight. Brother Ott wore a bright red shirt. They knew that red was the most important color during the Chinese New Year and that 'red' chased away evil and brings in good luck!




Sister Ott said he was a Filipino Santa - that was what his name tag said. And he is because he wore a traditional Filipino shirt - Barong Tagalog. I liked him! I thought he was a Chinese fisherman to me!



What would you wish for the Chinese New Year? What about "Beauty", "Kindness", "Wisdom" and "Knowledge", not forgetting the "Happiness" and "Prosperity" that you would usually greet another on this occasion.




Wishing all my Chinese and non-Chinese friends a HAPPY and PROPEROUS New Year with (1) the blessing of beauty in our eyes to see beauty in people and things in our lives (2) the blessing of kindness in our hearts to render kindness to whoever he/she/it may be (3) the blessing of wisdom in our brains to choose the right (4) the blessing of knowledge in our soul to better ourselves in whatever role we play in the family, home, society, organisation and country.


Tuesday, 5 February 2008

I considered this as part of our celebration, just being together, Brother Ott, Sister Ott, Mike and I.

Brother/Sister Ott thought I would like to go to the beach at Oceanside California since I come from a seaside city. They were right. I loved the familiar sight of a seashore, sea beach with its fine sand and the sound of waves. I would loved the feel of the breeze against my cheek, if it wasn't that cold! I like the place. It was peaceful, clean, organised and not crowded when we visited.




The pier reminded me of the Miri Jetty. People board boats, to work offshore, at the end of the Miri Jetty. Here, people eat at the restaurant located at the end of the pier.



That was not a statue! The pelican was alive and kicking. It didn't move a single bit even when we stood close to it. It must be so used to people walking on the pier and enjoyed the attention it get. Or it could be eyeing the baskets near the fishing rods that were leaning against the rails of the pier, to see if there were opportunities of a free meal.



Anyone for surfing in the cold water? Not for me! I do not know how anyway and I am not interested either.



I like the pier both ways, going out to the sea and coming back to the land



Apart from the few surfers in the Pacific Ocean, I didn't see any other swimmers. There were only a few people, including ourselves, walking the beach. It is a beautiful clean beach.

According to what I gathered from the internet, 4.5 million people visited Oceanside annually and 2.7 million beach visitors were from Memorial Day (May) to Labor Day (September) - the summer months!

The beach lifeguards were definitely taking their holidays now. I thought I passed only one lifeguard tower along the beach and I thought there was no body inside it. The rest of the towers were parked alongside each other near the pier.



I wouldn't like to come here between May-September when the beach would be bustling with visitors. Today was almost heaven to me - sunny, green trees, organised, peaceful - minus the a little too cold breeze!


Wednesday, 6 February 2008

The last day with Brother/Sister Ott for this visit. I am happy we iced our wonderful time with them with a visit to the temple together.

Brother/Sister Ott were the missionary couple who had prepared me in 2006, to enter the temple for the very first time the same year, but did not get to escort me. Who would have known that we would make it up, in their home country this day?

I love the San Diego temple. I think the structure is beautiful.




Don't mind to go again, if the opportunity arises!


Wednesday, 6 February 2008

Today was Chinese New Year's Eve and I wished Lian and Yean were with me for dinner. They would love this place.



Mike & I had a late and filling lunch at the San Diego temple cafeteria, thinking that we would just head back home. Dinner was not in our plan but after visiting the Asian Market and not wanting to be caught in the rush hour, Mike suggested to patronise the Seafood Restaurant that our friends at home had highly recommended.

Oh! I love the Asian Market - plenty of fresh seafood and other meat. There were plenty of choices of Asian products too! I see mostly products from Thailand & Vietnam. I see food stuff from Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, China too but little of Malaysia. I would have love to stay in the shop longer. It was in the supermarket that we decided to celebrate Chinese New Year on Thursday and have some friends over to join us.

Crazy Buffet? Don't know why they called it such? It was buffet alright but crazy? Maybe because of the price. It wasn't that cheap. I thought the price was reasonable and the food was good. If I know we were going there I would have reserve my stomach. I love seafood and I didn't feel like eating much more meat as I was still full from lunch. Instead I went for fresh fruits instead - first time I ate so much fruit in one meal! Mike enjoyed himself with the seafood there!

Thanks, Mike, for a wonderful Chinese New Year time with Brother/Sister Ott and the impromptu Chinese New Year's Eve dinner.

Temples in Utah

Saturday, 1 December 2007

All the temples are beautiful! I had the opportunity to see 4 temples in Utah last week.

23 Nov (Fri) - St. George Temple - Went with Brother/Sister Telford to hear the missionaries sang at the temple ground and to see the lights and the nativity displayed there. I would have love to visit longer if it wasn't that cold! It was only a little after 6 pm and it was already dark. I was never more anxious to get back to the car!



24 Nov (Sat) - Bountiful Temple - It was wonderful to be inside the temple with Sister Jensen and her daughter, Julie.



26 Nov (Sun) - Salt Lake Temple - While visiting the roof garden of the Conference Center with Brother/Sister Jacobs, I took this shot.



The Salt Lake Temple is so beautiful with the lights on:



28 Nov (Wed) - Provo Temple - This temple was easy to find as it was near the Provo Mission Training Center.

Mesa - International Nativity Exhibit

Saturday, 17 November 2007

This was my 2nd visit to the Visitors Center of the Mesa Arizona Temple. The bus was not back to the temple yet. It would be 2 hours plus before the bus would return Yuma.

On the grass in front of the Center, facing the main road, are 3 wise men!

The 3 wise men were going to visit the new born baby Jesus!

International Nativity Exhibit said 23 November to 31 December 2007 - I wonder why? It was already opened to the visitors.


United States


United States and Japan (with the gong)


Japan and China


France


Italy



Africa


Mexico


Peru


Germany


Nicaragua


This was not part of the International Nativity Exhibit. It stood alone.

San Deigo California Temple

Friday, 7 September 2007

All the temples are beautiful, whether it is Manila Philippines, Mesa Arizona, Los Angeles. This morning Mike & I were blessed to visit the San Diego California temple. We didn't enter the temple but we were able to see what it is like inside from the pictures shown by a missionary couple, whom we met in the temple grounds.

A view from the parking lot:


A view from a different side of the temple ground:


Just magnificent!

Los Angeles California Temple

Friday, 27 July 2007

So grateful for this opportunity to escort a family who went to the temple for their very first time. For Mike and me, it was our first visit to the Los Angeles California temple.


The statue of the Angel Moroni standing on top of the temple.


Some of the beautiful landscape surrounding the temple

Mesa Arizona Temple

Tuesday, 15 May 2007

Saw it last night. It was a distinctive sight. It was brightly lighted and beautiful. Unique in structure, different from the Manila temple that I visited in July 2006 but similarly beautiful outside and inside.

I am thankful to Michael for this visit to the Mesa Arizona Temple on this sunny morning. It feels good always to be in the Lord's house.

And to meet Sister Barney, a lovely lady, who taught me about faithfulness. She drives the 3 miles journey from her home to the temple every month, by herself , and then drives back again by herself. Imagine doing that every month, alone, without fail. Her husband had gone over the veil years ago.

Mesa Arizona Temple - Visitors' Center

Monday, 14 May 2007

The temple was closed on Mondays so Mike & me visited the Visitors' Center, which was opened every day from 9:00am to 9:00 pm.

What makes it more special is that I met Sister Capone here! Sister Capone is a sister of Elder Capone, whom I had the opportunity to meet with when I was visiting the Kota Kinabalu Chapel in April 2006.

Isn't that amazing? You can see Elder Capone in my Kota Kinabalu blog.