Wishing a few of our siblings would contribute

We all have different memories of our childhood. SC thinks I was the very popular one whereas I thought she was rather spoilt. She recalls one day when I was learning to strike a match (was already 9 or 10!) and everybody was so pleased when I managed while she was pooh-poohing privately that she could have done it easily. I only recall that first day that I had to learn to strike a match. To this day I don't like gas stoves which do not have an automatic lighter.

Googling for "Sng Boon Kui"

I found this in NST!

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM ft|i Mtt iJI JI i/J Ii T ekl. _..u MRS. SNG BOON KUI ne« sim nqor lanq Departed on 15.5.73 Though you have gone from this T'k' VkU[. memorqs are still cherished treasured in our hearts. Sadly missed by husband, sons.

75% accurate so assuming the word "daughters" is missing!

The paper was dated 15 May 1978.

It's UP

Our last get-together with Kim Siew on 3rd August 2009

Siew Cheng had just arrived after a cancelled flight. This was taken after the wake where Kim Chai and Kim Hock each gave a beautiful eulogy. Wee Suan and Hong Hui also spoke. The Sim cousins attended, Dennis, See Neo, Ah Chui, Youngest Aunty from father's side and her daughter Joanne. Also met up with Liang Tan and Jiak Ngor.

Kim Siew RIP

Kim Siew has joined mother and father. He was a wonderful and loving son, husband, brother, dad and granddad. RIP.

It's up!

In loving memory of Mdm Sim Ngor Lang & Mr Sng Boon Kui

The above is a cut and paste from the Sydney Opera House website.

Click on this link and click on the category of donors "Acclaim".

http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/support/honourwall.aspx

Googling mother's name now results in 4 entries. Same with father. Even this blog comes up! Father has an entry about his role in some Johore Teachers Co-operative. Mother features on the STC website.

Stop Press

The Opera House started an annual giving program so we have given since its inception 2 years ago. The acknowledgment is in the foyer on a TV screen and also in some programs, in their annual report and also their website. So far we have donated in our company name. This year I decided to donate in memory of mother and father. Not sure if it exceeds the word count but fingers crossed we will see the acknowledgment at the Opera House shortly.

Mother's repertoire

Mother was a very good cook. There were some dishes which were a hit with everyone and whenever those dishes were made everyone had extra helpings. Her curry was popular and all 7 of us love potatoes. In fact the potatoes were snapped up before the chicken meat. The Sims were entirely the opposite. Steamed egg custard with meatballs was I think everyone's most favourite. Then there was snake (or long) bean fried rice and it was always accompanied by English tea which I loved. Mother and father were coffee drinkers and I hated coffee. I still don't drink coffee much, just the odd mocha. I have tried to replicate the fried rice and realise that it was like nasi goreng, ie it's done with coconut rice. Her beehoon was quite nice but I'm afraid her Kuay Teow was only tolerable. Ngor hiang was only made on special occasions. Towards the later part of her life she tried new recipes and her herbal chicken, oyster omelette and deep fried chicken were delicious. HK had the opportunity to try the latter. In Lower Six we had a get-together and she cooked fried chicken for our gang.
When there was just SC and me left at home, she didn't always cook. It was mainly takeaways from Kai Kai. Her life was easier then as she was able to sleep in. I made father's breakfast on most schooldays, 2 soft-boiled eggs. We then travelled to High School together. I'm afraid I stopped chatting to father after early teens until my early twenties.

Being superstitious

Mother was superstitious and I think that was her only flaw. Lately many things have gone wrong and if I were her I would start to feel that I've been jinxed! I do recall as I was driving about 3.5 weeks ago when a black cat walked across the road, I had to stop for it, it turned and looked at me. Anyway about 10 days ago my hard drive conked out on me and I was in the midst of finalising our returns. Then yesterday I transferred some money online to a wrong account. The recipient is someone awkward to deal with but hopefully she will give the money back soon. I suspect she will or we will have to speak to her father (a close relative!). Then today my mobile just went blank. But luckily it's all just material stuff. I can't wait for tomorrow!

First day covers

When we were young, we collected stamps and first day covers. (I still do now, but not agressively.) Grandpa used to send us first day covers when we were in Penang. I distinctly remember one particular First Day cover with stamps featuring the different Malaysian fruits. I remember grandpa's handwriting. Neat and slightly slanted to the right. I still have that First day cover, with water stains. It was the rainy season and when it got to us, some of the stamps already came off the envelop. Will post the photo when I snap it.

Aujourd'hui

Today would have been father's birthday. Only lately did I realise that he was thoroughly western. He loved to sing (never heard mother sing even though she listened to music) and was outgoing and gregarious. He loved parties and went about with an Eurasian crowd in Kluang. He would only buy biscuits and chocolates made from the west, always looking down on Made in China products. When mother took me to buy my first watch and we got back he said we should not have bought that unknown brand (Hitex or something), that we should have got a Rado. How I wish now that mother had bought me a Rado! Then of course I totally ignored his opinion. Mother would have been the original home brand shopper whereas father was into designer labels. Now I know where I got my penchant from! In addition to the latter I'm a procrastinator to HK's eternal frustration but at least I make deadlines. Father always put off marking papers and exercise books. They got marked in the end alright. Who marked them is a family secret!

PS Today is 22nd May not 21st, blogspot is on American time.

Loyalty or bonus points?

Maybe I should start some reward system so more people would write on this blog with memories of our childhood. I have an early memory of father tying up Kim Hock and Kim Chai's hands and feet with his neckties because they had been fighting. I wonder if they recall that. I can only recall once father hitting my head with his knuckle but it was not a strong hit, more of a chastising kind. Mother did threaten me with a cane but other than that I don't think I have ever been physically punished. But then there was no reason to!
Kim Siew bought a lot of comic books, some of which I enjoyed. They were usually action hero types, war comics and finally MAD magazines. On the odd occasion he bought romantic ones but they were too few. The one I recall distinctly was this lumberjack who fell in love with a model/actress? and kidnapped her. Remember that one KS? I still recall the wooden cabinet where you kept them.

36 years ago ......

Mother passed away 36 years ago. I can still recall the events of that day. I was in Upper Six and was in the middle of a class when I saw Siew Cheng in the corridor. She came to tell me that mother was in Muar hospital and was very ill. I can't remember now who drove us there but I think it was father. She was unconscious and lying on the bed. Kim Chai was there too, he was on university break. I think it was elevenish when I got there and we were there until about 3.00 when the doctors told us to leave her bedside. I think we were losing her and maybe they were trying to resuscitate her. Anyway not long after father came out to tell us that we have lost her. I went back in to her bed and gave her a kiss.
Earlier on in the morning she was shopping for groceries in Tua King's brother's shop. She was carrying Kimmie and as she chatted to the aunty, her speech started to slur. The aunty then told father something is very wrong and to take mother home. I think father called an ambulance. We rarely talk about the events that happened soon after. Only once did Kim Chai asked me what happened the months following as he does not recall anything.
We never had a proper wake unlike father's with the get-togethers each night after his funeral. Perhaps one day we should have one and then everyone can move on.

A tribute to Mother

Today is Mothers Day. It is a western tradition which was introduced into the east long after I left Malaysia so it was never something which we celebrated when we were young. Actually everyday should be mother's day!
Mother was almost perfect. She championed the weak and was very equitable. She also taught me tolerance and compassion, chastising us in our early teens when we were not respectful to our Raub relatives. They came to stay with us for what seemed like a long time and I guess we were a little resentful. She said we were behaving badly and looking back now I have to agree. She also wanted us to be respectful to our paternal grandmother, yes we can be quite cold!
We all put her on a pedestal and it was deservedly so. She had an incredibly strong character. I still recall when her eldest sister's shop went down the gurgler and she was handling the creditors. Those who should be downstairs were hiding upstairs!
She rarely allowed herself treats but rather liked Ling Po movies and would take us with her to watch it again and sometimes for the 3rd time. Her treat is the Chinese movie magazine once a month.
We never had the chance to repay our gratitude nor spoil her.

Chinese New Year memories

SC and I were given 5 dresses every year. They were made by our Goh cousin, Hwee Huang. She tried to outdesign the Sims. I still recall how she would dream about designs. I do appreciate what she has done for us so I visit her every now and then and bring a gift for her. Sometimes I pass it through Mong Chay.
In my teenage years I would help mother make love letters. We used a stove and one has to be vigilant that it does not burn. We never had a conventional oven so cookies made were those which didn't require baking eg mung bean cookies. Later we acquired a small easycook type oven and we started making pineapple tarts. I had a well-off friend ie the Lims at 40 Jalan Ibrahim and they had all the modcons. Funny thing is that I grew up much more confident and assertive than her! She lived in the first modern "mansion" in Muar.
CNY was always very special. Everyone came back for the reunion dinner (except some years when KK and Stella went back to Ipoh instead). Curry, ngor hiang and fried celery were the dishes which I recall. The first meal on Day 1 was vegetarian. I think we ate vegetarian only a few times a year including Vesak Day. Beef was verbotten in the house or rather not cooked. To be continued ......

Remembering

KS, I had forgotten you were born in Batu Pahat. I recall being regaled about KK's birth in Bukit Kangkar and how father had to fetch the midwife on a bicycle. Mother's stomach was big with KK and there was a bit of gossip in the village before the birth because they thought he was conceived before the wedding day but he turned up more than 9 months after. I think KHuat was born in Muar during the war. Then the rest of us in Kluang. I even recall the day SC was weaned from mother and a tin of Huntley and Palmers biscuits was an incentive. Father always liked the best and only bought chocolates and biscuits made in the west, not from China. But it was still a treat for us when a tin of biscuit is opened, it is passed around and we get one each. I always picked ginger nut biscuits. Then the tin is closed until someone older decides that it is time for a biscuit. Definitely not a daily occurrence!
I vaguely recall how father met mother. I think it was something to do with waiting for the ferry to cross. Could be wrong, wonder why we never heard about it from mother. He was engaged to someone else when he met mother, maybe that's why it was never discussed.
I think with all families there were some dark stories. Sometimes we used to hear the aunties discuss something and then they would be aware of us and change the topic.

The beginning for number3.

I was born in a small town of Batu Pahat in the state of Johore of the original state of Malaya.
It was1947 haven got our indpendence yet, still British Colony.I remember Celebration of Queen Elzabeth II coronation?
We must have moved to Kluang from Batu Pahat.It was at Jalan Station that most of of the younger ones were born. We stayed next to a Malay family,the man was a bomoh.
I think someone should get some details from KK an blog for him. I need to know how
father married mother. Father's origin was from Bukit Kangkar and mum from Jalan Maharani.
Number 3 (KS)

Day 3

Day 3 and not so many posters. Guess everyone is busy, busy. I should be doing paperwork too but these days I am easily distracted. Who cares about tax deadlines?!

Does everyone remember the family games we used to have? It was organised either by Kim Huat or KK in our backyard. It was running etc and we would get prizes like sugared almonds. We even once had a barbecue in Kluang. I recall sausages being cooked, this would have been very "advanced" in those days. Then there was the day when KK decided to make toffee/caramels when we acquired our first fridge.

Jalan Station?

Is that the one where there is a picture of all 7 of us outside, SC being carried by KK? I can only remember the last house in Jalan Masjid. The Dankers were higher up on the left and the only family I recall on the right was a young Indian couple. Because of the Eurasians surrounding us (across the road etc) we used to be given a frosted fruit cake for Christmas. I also had the opportunity to attend birthday parties, winning twice at musical chairs.
We weren't privileged like the children of doctors and lawyers but we had a good childhood. Good luck with the bypass.

Younger days

I remember jalan masjid staying next to the headmaster.
Do any of you remember Jalan Station? I remember crawling undertrains on the way
to school. Really a dangerous activity. GOD has kept me alive.
From Selayang Hospital waiting for stomach by pass.

Unconditional love and care

I was a sickly asthmatic child. Another very early memory is of mother carrying me at night (in the upright position with my chest on her front) because I had difficulty breathing with congested lungs. Everyone else was asleep.
I got an attack once a month until I was about 13. It fell onto mother to take me to the GP. After the GP we would have to stop by a sweet shop. I needed an incentive to take medication. In those days the pills were in powder form and oh so bitter and the liquid stuff was horrible. As I got older I had to take it myself and I would sit staring at it for 10 mins and everytime mother walked by in the kitchen she would be urging me to take it. To this day I hate swallowing pills unless it's in capsule form.

Starting the ball rolling .....................

Today is actually the 30th and it's SC's birthday. One of my earlier memories is when our brothers babysat us when our parents attended a wedding. Something happened and we both started bawling and they tried very hard to make us stop. This was in the Kluang Jalan Masjid house I think. I have no recollection of the previous house.
My childhood as far as I'm concerned was fairytale like. We had a small bicycle and a metal car which we can pedal. Although they were handmedowns from the Sandy Tan family, such possessions were uncommon. These days of course kids have so much.
I hope everyone gets into the swing of things and post some memories!

Inaugural Day!

I have been meaning to set this up for awhile and will allow all siblings/nieces/nephews to write memories of mother and father or just memories of our childhood! I just want to google their names and have something come up. Plus their memories will live on in cyberspace. Also happy if there's others close to us who wish to write. Just give me their email addresses and I will add.