Pussy willow for me this new year

Today is really not a good day for me.

Tried to finish my KPRJ story but got stucked and need to do some extra research.

It's getting a bit long and I may have to break it up into several parts.

Well, never mind lah.

For now I will just do small small postings only. Just for fun, eh.

Ok, today after work I am going to do my Chinese New Year shopping.

Yup, I do celebrate CNY. It's like some of you Muslims who celebrate Christmas la.

I started celebrating CNY during my college days.

I was the only non-Chinese in my class and when it's CNY my friends always asked me to come over to their house.

After doing my rounds I always end up at my best friend's house in Subang Jaya.

I will stay there for two or three days, mostly spending time playing black jack just for fun. Used coins only lar. Just for fun, ok?

I always wanted to join the others playing mahjong but my friend refused to teach me how to play the game.

She said I will just lose all my money. Her parents and uncles and aunts are mahjong experts. But I suspect she just don't want me to play as I will only slow down the game.

Whatever it is, it was all great fun you know.

I actually always went to my friend's house those days that her mom even got me special plate, cup and glass for me.

Well, my friend's family are the real Cina Bukit type and proud of it. They eat pork all the time. Her mom bought food for me from a nearby mamak restaurant whenever I am around despite me insisting to go and eat there myself. My friend always told me to be ok about it as her mom like me very much because I was actually her first non-Chinese friend. I always miss Mrs Law whenever CNY draws near like now.

Later today, I will go to Leisure Mall to buy those paper decorations for my cubicle in the office and my room at the rented apartment.

Oh...also this year I want to buy some Pussy willow for my room.

You don't know what a Pussy willow meh?

Here's a bit of it from Wikipidea (sorry aarr...my English not so good to explain properly. Need to cut and paste )
  
Pussy willow is a name given to many of the smaller species of the genus Salix (willows and sallows) when their furry catkins are young in early spring.

Since the Chinese like numerous blossoms on a branch, the many buds of the pussy willow make it a favourite flower for Chinese New Year. The fluffy white blossoms of the pussy willow resemble silk, and they soon give forth young shoots the color of green jade. Chinese enjoy such signs of growth, which represent the coming of prosperity.

Towards the Lunar New Year period, stalks of the plant may be bought from wet market vendors or supermarkets.

Once unbundled within one's residence, the stalks are frequently decorated with gold and red ornaments - ornaments

with colours and text that signify prosperity and happiness. Felt pieces of red, pink and yellow are also a common decoration in South East Asia.

Xie Daoyun's comparison of snow and willow catkins is a famous line of poetry and is used to refer to precocious young female poets.