One of the nicest things you can have

I love everything that's old, — old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wine - Quote from Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer, Act I, reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th edition (1919).

This week, almost everyday of the week I had been meeting up with old friends.

Lunch with my old boss, his wife and several previous colleagues. Even though I had been transferred out of the Department in 1994 and since retired, we have kept in touch and meet occassionally.
Meeting up with several of my classmates. Even though we had left high school 47 years ago we had remained bosom frineds.

Enjoying a buffet lunch with neighbours in my previous housing area. Even though I had moved away from the neighbourhood 2 years ago, they have remained my close friends.


A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. ~Douglas Pagels

Some years ago (12)

Date of entry: 25/5/1948

The entry was made in Chinese. This is a translation)

Wife with daughter Peng went to Ipoh to see Hou. When she came back she told me that the Marie biscuit and the three tins of milk I bought several days ago had finished. The nurses were not polite. Hou looked healthy and should be discharged in a few days.

Those of us at home do not have any symptom. I go to work and daughter Kim goes to school as usual.

One million children work with mercury everyday!

Mercury, the silvery liquid metal, known to many from old thermometers, is one of the most toxic substances on earth. Inhaling even small doses of its vapor is dangerous. There is no known safe level of exposure.

Yet the one million children around the world engaged in artisanal gold mining work with it every day.

Please read full article: Take mercury out of children's hands

Image credit to http://photo.net

Some years ago (11)

(The entries were made in Chinese. This is a translation)

Date of entry: 22/5/1948

In the afternoon at 2pm I went to Ipoh to see Hou. I bought a tin of milk and a plastic toy for him. He was sitting in the baby cot and looked normal. When he saw me he seemed to recognize me but it's like he was not sure.

The nurse said I have to buy a thermos flask. I immediately went out to buy. I also bought an additional tin of milk,4 oranges and some grapes. The nurse looked pleased.

Date of entry: 23/5/1948

In the morning at seven I went again to see Hou. The ward attendent said he was eating biscuits. I again went out and bought another tin of Marie for him.

I went to cousin's house to chat and at 10 am I went back to Parit.

Some years ago (10)

Date of entry: 20/5/1948

(The entry was made in Chinese. This is a translation)

Yesterday 19th I took my son Hou to a clinic in Ipoh. At 12 noon he was examined by the doctor, who declared that Hou had Diphtheria. The doctor immediately wrote a reference letter and told me to send Hou to the hospital immediately, saying that this is an emergency and Hou's condition could become worse any time soon and he needs to have an injection.

When wife heard what the doctor said she was overcome with fear. We immediately hired a trishaw to go to the hospital. After the admission procedure, Hou was warded in "Ward 12". He has to stay in the hospital and visitors are not allowed. When my wife left Hou in the ward she was overcome with sadness and cried non-stop.

At 1 pm we arrived in eldest cousin sister's house, after which I went to inform 4th cousin brother.

At 2pm wife and eldest cousin sister went to the hospital to see Hou. Wife fed milk to Hou. When the nurse saw this she shouted and scolded wife. Wife immediately put Hou down and with tears in her eyes she left the ward. Hou immediately started crying very loudly.

I wanted wife to remain in the hospital to look after Hou and asked the clerk for permission. The clerk told me to ask Dr. Dourado's permission. I searched the hospital but could not find Dr. Dourado. Upon enquiring from several persons I was told that as Diphtheria is communicable, definitely the Mother cannot stay back to look after Hou. We have no choice but to return to Parit, leaving Hou alone in the care of the nurses.

Some years ago (9)

Date of entry: 8/5/1948

(The entry was made in Chinese. This is a translation)

My son Hou was infected with a boil on his head. Today I took him to the Parit Medical Assistant to remove it. Pus was extracted. After that the infected area was bandaged and secured tightly. He is so young, does not know anything and had a good cry.

Quote: Joon/Woon SC

We start and end with the family

Cheesy cake baked by Deedee's friend, Naeem, yummy...

A meaty dinner at a Brazilian restaurant

Farouk and wife Azni

My new canon digital, gift from Farouk and his wife

Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family. ~Anthony Brandt

We have these magnificent hearts that pump through all sorrows

Somedays I think about quitting. I think about quitting the job I’m periodically contracted for, and being done with writing forever. I feel like quitting from the kitchen, quitting from the housekeeping, quitting from all my burdens.

Life can be cruel. We are subjected to heartaches, crushing defeats and sadness. Sometimes I am overcome by despair. I tell myself constantly to feel the contentment, to live each day as happily as I could. Some people find contentment by letting go, by giving in, by giving up. Some people find it by fighting back, by standing up, by not giving in. Some peoople like me count our blessings. I suppose I am not giving up. I know that while life is not perfect in any way, I have so many blessings and joys.

"Our lives are at once ordinary and mythical. We live and die, age beautifully or full of wrinkles. We wake in the morning, buy yellow cheese, and hope we have enough money to pay for it. At the same instant we have these magnificent hearts that pump through all sorrows and all winters we are alive on the earth." Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones.

Some years ago (9)

Date of entry 27.4 1948

We, the undersigned, occupiers of temporary houses nos. 27, 28, 29, 31 & 32 of the old Post Office Road, Parit, have the honour to request that you will be so kind as to grant us another period of extension with regard to the demolishing of the above-mentioned houses until such time when new houses are built in Parit and we can find a place to go to.

It is needless to state again and again that house shortage is still a serious problem nowadays; Parit is no exception.

We sincerely hope that our request will be granted.

Quote-Woon/Joon SC

Children forced to do hard labour, abused and are usually not paid

The Topeka Center for Peace and Justice showed a documentary, called " The Dark Side of Chocolate", exposing child labor and human trafficking in cocoa plantations.

The documentary brought to light the issue of child labor and human trafficking on the cocoa plantations of Africa. These plantations grow and harvest the cocoa beans for big name chocolate companies such as Nestlé.

The film starts with its two film makers doing their own investigation by journeying to the western coast of Africa to the country of Mali. This is where children were rumored to be smuggled from and transported to the Ivory Coast.

Their detective work led them to find that Mali was trafficking children at bus stations, by bribing them with work and money or simply kidnapping them from villages. They are then taken to towns near the border such as Zegoua, where another trafficker transports the children over the border on a dirt-bike via back-roads, where they are left with a third trafficker who then sells the children to plantations. Ranging from age 10 to 15, these children are forced to do hard labor, physically and sexually abused and are usually never paid. Most of them stay with the plantation until they die, never seeing their family again.

The chocolate industry is marred with child slavery!

Please read full article: The dark side of chocolate

Picture credited to http://www.treehuggers.com/

Some years ago (8)

Date of entry: 26.4.1948

Sometimes my thoughts are serious. Occasionally I will ask myself what should I do that life would be dear to me, and that my children will grow up healthy in body and mind.

Quote-Woon/Joon SC

No use being a fool about it?

My third batch of pineapple jam tarts. Mmm...looking better... but still not the taste I'm looking for.

An English proverb says, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again". But for me, the most likely scenario is "If at first you don't succeed, try again, then quit. No use being a fool about it"!

Friendship without self interest

When our family relocated to Parit Buntar from Sabak Bernam almost 60 years ago we had to stay in the government Rest House while waiting for the government quarter allocated to my Father to be vacant. The whole family of 7 stayed in the second biggest room in the Rest House, Room number 2, for several months. The Rest House operator Mr Chuan practically adopted us as his family from day one. Although I was a very little girl then, my sis and I can still remember up to today, the kindness and generosity Mr. Chuan showered on us. Later even after we shifted to the government quarter he remained a regular visitor and we became close family friends.

When we again relocated to Petaling Jaya 10 years later, he came one day by train and presented us with a house warming gift, in the form of a clock (made in West Germany). Even though the clock is no longer functioning, I am keeping it for the memories and for the selfless friendship it represents.


"Friendship without self interest is one of the rare and beautiful things in life."
- James Francis Byrnes

To laugh often and much

To laugh often and much:To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded.- Ralph Waldo Emerson

知之不若行之

不聞不若聞之，聞之不若見之，見之不若知之，知之不若行之；學至於行之而止矣. Hsün Tzu (荀子; born Zhao c.310 BC - 237 BC)

The meaning goes something like this: "Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve me and I will understand".

Moral: You can only understand something by trying it yourself.

Win-lose-win-lose

If the person wins, he craves for more. If he loses, he wants to get back what he lost. If the gambler wins he should stop but the tendency is for him to want more and more...then, pushing the luck too far, he ends up losing all and more. Also, everyone drools over the jackpot which very rarely happens. Win-lose-win-lose-win-lose, this goes on and on if the gambler does not stop, I supposed he becomes addicted?

My friend said she does not gamble for the money but for the adrenalin. So losing is alright, really?

Some years ago (7)

Date of entry: 4.4.1948

Aid for overseas Chinese

Chinese Consulates and Embassies abroad will be instructed to draw up a list of needy displaced overseas Chinese and negotiate with the International Refugee Organization for their repatriation to China, according to the decision of the Executive Yuan, yesterday.

All persons for whom IRO will not take responsibility for repatriation will be provided with travelling expenses back to China by the Chinese government.

The Executive Yuan also decided that the Ministry of Social Affairs will hereafter assume responsibility for transporting overseas displaced Chinese from the Chinese hinterland to the seaport where they will be jointly cared for by the Ministry and IRO before repatriation to their homes abroad. (Extract from Malaya Tribune 3.4.1948)

True or not?

沒錢的時候，養豬；
有錢的時候，養狗。
When without money, keep pigs;
When have money, keep dogs.

沒錢的時候，在家裡吃野菜；
有錢的時候，在酒店吃野菜。
When without money, eat wild vege at home ;
When have money, eat same wild vege in fine restaurant.

沒錢的時候，在馬路上騎自行車；
有錢的時候，在客廳裡騎自行車。
When without money, ride bicycle;
When have money, ride exercise machine.

沒錢的時候,老婆兼秘書；
有錢的時候,秘書兼老婆。
When without money, wife becomes secretary;
When have money, secretary becomes wife.

沒錢的時候,假裝有錢；
有錢的時候,假裝沒錢。
When without money, act like rich man;
When with money, act like poor man.

Source: unknown

May you retain the beauty of your heart and soul

Ethelin's 80th birthday!










As we grow old…the beauty steals inward.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Issue solved

The issue with my Blog is solved at last. I opened the posts one by one and discovered that there is one post that caused the side bar to disappear. I resized the images of the particular post and wa..la..aa...the problem solved. Now I can go to bed.

what happened to my Blog?

I do not understand why I lost my side bar on the first page of this Blog. When I view the older posts, then the side bar becomes visible. Trying to solve this issue but so far not successful.

His 1948 pin up girls!

Note the caption on Betty Grable on top of picture: 'Betty Grable has been acclaimed by artists as having the most beautiful figure"!

Some years ago (6)

Date of entry: 30.3.1948

When I was teaching at the Kee Che School, Temerloh, PAHANG, I had the idea of writing a small book containing about 50 simple essays which I hoped may be of some help to higher primary school students. This idea revived again and again and it seems to me that it may be good for me if I start to have a try.

More slaves world-wide than ever before!

We think slavery belonged to another era. We do not see slavery as something which is still happening today.

According to a shocking new documentary by Al Jazeera English, slavery persists in the United States of America and there are more slaves worldwide than ever before!

For more information please read: Al-Jazeera-documentary-claims-slavery-still-rife-in-the-USA

First image credited to http://commons.wikimedia.org

Second image credited to http://www.oregonlive.com/

Some years ago (5)

Date: 30.3.1948

Death of the Sultan of Perak occured at 12 noon yesterday. The office is closed today for nourning His Highness's death. The Malay inhabitants wear white ribbons around their songkoks and hats, and hoist the national flag at half mast. Some of them are going to Kuala_Kangsar to pay their last hormage to the late Sultan. Haji Meor Ariff told me he is one of those going to Kuala Kangsar at 1.30pm, and asked if I would be at home, and in case there is any important message he would be glad if I would receive it for him.

Treasure house of memories

Methodist School Parit_Buntar Remove Class 1960


With Hasiah Said, my best friend in Remove Class who was also the Village Head's daughter

Heah Gaik Gin, my best friend in Parit Buntar. She was in From 1 while I was in Remove Class
I moved from Parit Buntar to Kuala_Lumpur in 1961 and went back to visit my friends in 1962. These pictures were taken in 1962 with my friends from the Chinese Primary School next to the Krian River who all attended Remove Class with me. Forgive me girls, out of the 6 of you I only remember 2 names!


And even if you were in some prison, the walls of which let none of the sounds of the world come to your senses - would you not then still have your childhood, that precious, kingly possession, that treasure-house of memories? ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Our decisions

Many things are fated. But our lives are also a consequence of the decisions we make. Of course there are exceptions, like health challenges which may be hereditary, but largely there are many decisions we could control. For example, where to work after graduation, where to stay, should I marry him, where to send our children to school? These are all decisions within our control. Now looking back at life I realize the many decisions I had made, rightly or wrongly, had led to where I am today.

Some years ago (4)

Date: 28 March 1948

Easter holidays started on the 26th and will end on the 29th. I went to Ipoh at 1pm on 26th. Cousin was lying down on the canvas chair as usual. He was sleeping and I found he was depressed as if short of income.

I was in the Rex hotel the whole day long on 27.3.48. It being a Saturday, it was the first race day of the Turf Club Easter Meeting. I had a mind of going to have a view of the Race Course but owing to the lack 0f a badge I was unable to do so. At about 5pm I borrowed the tailor's bicycle and visited the Race Course. I stood outside the hedges nd witnessed the last race. This was the first time I visited the Ipoh Turf Club which in many respects resembles the Selangor Club. I went to see the picture (chinese character) at night.

I came back to Parit at 10.30 am this morning, having bought some beef, salt fish and a piece of dress for my second daughter. At the market at Ipoh this morning there were two young men selling tiger meat which looks exactly like beef. This was the first time I saw tiger meat.

On the way back to Parit while in the bus I wished I could be returning to Kuala Lumpur as early as possible for there I can live together with many of my friends and brethen, while in Parit I have to be contented by leading a solitary life.

Everyone in Rex wishes he could have luck by getting a prize in the unlimited Sweeps and so do I. Will this wish come true?