Happy Chinese New Year (Eve)!

Thanks to some last-minute appointment cancellations and some savvy receptionists, I was able to leave work earlier than usual and was rewarded with a delicious Chinese New Year Eve's dinner. My parents have been slaving away in the kitchen over the weekend, preparing abalone and chicken feet for their friends, so they called this a "modest effort" by their standards. And sure, three of these dishes were bought essentially ready made, but I am not going to take this spread for granted:


This is the first Chinese New Year's dinner we've had without my grandma being able to join us. My mom did bring her some chicken feet at the care home and she ate an entire one, which is no small feat! And then the phone calls were made to family in Hong Kong, wishing them all good fortune and - more importantly - good health. My parents and I have never been all that great with traditions - the most I know is that we must all partake in a noodle dish on birthdays and eat some rice on CNY's eve - but I have been told that I should also be home for dinner tomorrow night, and so I shall be!