ANZAC Day

This is an old ANZAC day photo.

On this Anzac day, I am on a mission, to help some family look for their son who fought in the New Zealand Army in Malaysia. This is no ordinary person or New Zealander.

In 1943,  when he was 3, he was given to a New Zealander and he grew up in New Zealand. In the 1960s, as a young man he was fighting in Malaya. He did not forget his roots. He his family.

His name is Sibat.  His family in Sarawak wants to know if he is alive or if he is dead, where his body is laid to rest.

What a wonderful gift it would be if, they got news of his well being. I had gone to the RSA and Ministry of birth, Marriages and death. But without his Kiwi adopted name it is very hard to trace.

Gerinang Ak Sibat comes from Sarawak, in Borneo like me. He would look like some of the men here in this photo.



email: rizalbob@gmail.com or message me.


ANZAC Day, the Australian Vets are remembering their battle in Borneo. A battle that was not recognised until now.

The service is dedicated to all Australians and New Zealanders who died in various theatres of war, including in Malaysia, as well as in peacekeeping operations including the commandos who landed in Bario,” Kerr told the Borneo Post yesterday.

He said although there was no fallen World War II heroes here, there were many in Labuan and Ranau, Sabah.

Besides, it is timely that the service be held in Miri to commemorate the services of the eight commandos (six Australians, one New Zealander and a British) airdropped on Bario under the command of Major Tom Harrison to help locals fight the Japanese from behind the enemy line on March 25, 1945.

He said it was touching to see Australian Jack Tredrea, 93, the sole surviving member of that elite group who helped liberate Sarawak from the Japanese army through ‘Operation Semut’, visiting Bario recently.

“The Anzac Day dawn service in Miri will be a traditional service, with an introduction delivered myself, a commemorative address by Robert Young (director, Tenby International School) and the wreath laid by Lawrence Lai (Mayor of Miri),” he disclosed.

Among other activities are poem reading in remembrance for peace and for the future of New Zealand and Australia, ‘One Minute’s Silence’ (a sign of respect and a time of reflection on the significance of the ceremony) and flag raising ceremony.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/04/24/anzac-day-commemorative-service-in-miri-this-thursday/#ixzz2RRJCdbFf
The Secret war in the 60s in Sarawak was recognised only last year.

On Anzac day, I remember my parents and grand parents who lived during the World War 2.

yellow/Photohunt: Zoom, Stolen puppy

My



"Zoom!" went the car.

The woman who stole this puppy zoomed away in her car.

My friend posted on Facebook. Daisy was picked up by a lady driving a small silver hatch back,  This puppy is an exact duplicate of my brother Joseph's dog. Except for Benny brown whiskers.

Joseph used to pick up stray dogs when he was young. Mother told him he could keep the dog if he promised to feed the dogs.  

Once, Rose and her husband, then boyfriend was taking a very long walk home. A mug followed them home. This mutt would eat our food, but every time we went out, it followed us out to the main road. It did this for a few months. 

Margaret and I cycled to town. It followed us. On our way home, a blue car stopped ahead of us. The mutt dashed to the car. It had found it's owners. The owners' eyes shot daggers at us. 

We were hurt. They had not bother to thank us or get out of the car to accuse us of stealing their dog. We thought they should have gone out of the car and accused us . Then they would hear how we took care of the dog for them when it was lost.
http://whistlestopphotohunt.blogspot.co.nz

http://mondaymellowyellows.blogspot.com.au/

  

Stay mellow with yellow!

marathon medal

Just read this story and feel compelled to share. The above is my medal for running the Singapore Marathon. I take it to school to show to the students. They all want to wear it. The man in the story gave his to the writer. That was very commendable of him. He would have trained and trained.

Yi Chang shared Laura Wellington's photo.

An act of kindness which inspires and touches lives....

Please help me by sharing this!

As some of you know, I was 1/2 mile from the finish line when the explosion went off. I had no idea what was going on until I finally stopped and asked someone. Knowing that my family was at the finish line waiting for me, I started panicking, trying to call them. Diverted away from the finish line, I started walking down Mass Ave towards Symphony Hall still not knowing where my family was. Right before the intersection of Huntington, I was able to get in touch with Bryan and found out he was with my family and they were safe. I was just so happy to hear his voice that I sat down and started crying. Just couldn't hold it back. At that moment, a couple walking by stopped. The woman took the space tent off her husband, who had finished the marathon, and wrapped it around me. She asked me if I was okay, if I knew where my family was. I reassured her I knew where they were and I would be ok. The man then asked me if I finished to which I nodded "no." He then proceeded to take the medal off from around his neck and placed it around mine. He told me "you are a finisher in my eyes." I was barely able to choke out a "thank you" between my tears.

Odds are I will never see this couple again, but I'm reaching out with the slim chance that I will be able to express to them just what this gesture meant to me. I was so in need of a familiar face at that point in time. This couple reassured me that even though such a terrible thing had happened, everything was going to be ok.

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Boston Marathon Bombing

波士顿马拉松爆炸

This is my certificate. I left my medal in school. The kids love wearing it.

My new pair of running shoes are still very new because I don't run anymore.



 The Oval, running track at NTU, where I first trained.

Few years ago, I was this middle aged turning 50 year old woman. One day, I challenged myself in a 3.8k after not running since my early 20s when I ran the "Round the bays.".

The university announced its "President's run." I had been doing short runs in the Staff Club gym, and was interested. D was with me and challenged me to run two kilometers. After I had done that, she said, "Mum, you can do it."

I got two girl friends to train, 6 am in the morning, we were at the oval, from 400 meters, and adding on, we completed the race as we pounded the pavement of the university route. We even beat many men and university girls much much younger than us.

After that, me and another girl friend 44, we trained for the Singapore Marathon.10 K's marathon.

It was in humid Singapore, but we did it in 3 months. We were two university wives, and the young university kids were wondering why these two "Aunties " were doing in their turf at the running oval and in the hilly campus. We managed to complete 10 Ks ten times. The first time were so satisfying. We High 5 and hugged.

Came early Dec, we woke up at 4am we ran with the Marathon greats from Kenya and Ethiopia. We both did it. The water engineer and the kids were there to support me. The Australian runners told me that the Singapore run was the most difficult to do because it was humid and hot.

It was the best thing I have done, and am still very proud of it.

Yesterday, I shared with my adult students, I knew how hard it was to train for the Marathon, even though I trained for the 10 kilometers only. I would be very angry if I was one of the runners in Boston, to be denied of crossing the finishing line.

Hibiscus mutabilis

Photo courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_mutabilis
Hibiscus mutabilis, also known as the Confederate rose or the cotton rosemallow,

I have only seen this flower in my Grandpa's garden in the 1960s. He called it Tai Yung Flower, Sun flower. I called it Ah Kung's magic flower. In the morning, when the sun rises, the flowers are pure white, and it follows the sun.  They turn pink around noon and in the evening they turn red, and drop of. The next day, new flowers will bloom.

It looks like a multi tiered Hibiscus. Have you seen one or owned one?

In ancient China, the flowers are believed to resemble beautiful ladies.A Chinese proverb runs: "Cotton rosemallow out of the Water"(出水芙蓉), meaning a young lady of appreciated beauty.Certain number of historical painting depicting beautiful young women are also titled as such by their respective painters.

http://tinaspicstory.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/weekend-flowers-45.html

http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.co.nz/

ABC N for Noodles

This is a Very Foochow noodle Hoon Ngan which my  3rd Aunty told my cousin Chai Wen to cook for me in her Opps Kopitnam.

This is Sibu's signature noodle, Kampua or Kan ma mee.  You have to be from Sibu to love it.

This is Mee Sua, Thin noodle soup eaten during birthdays. The Foochow influence is so strong, on Father's 81st. Third Aunty Siew Ying reminded Rose to cook it.

This is Sibu's Chu Mee. or cooked noodles with a gravy. Once served in banquets in Sibu restaurants. 

The Foochows came to Sibu town just sightly before the Cantonese. Over time, there is intermarriage  with the different dialects and races. We started to eat and adopted each other's food. The above 4 bowls of noodles belong to the Foochows. We love it. According to the words of my friend Kong Tong Kiong, we have adopted the long thin Mee Sua and serve them for special occasions.

There is one type of noodles which was eaten by the Cantonese. During my Grandpa Chan's 71st birthday, Mother served to all of us a small bowl of sweet noddles. It signified long sweet life. I was 14, and didn't like the sweet soup. I went to the kitchen and tipped it into the receptacle for the duck food. Rose saw me and sent daggers from her eyes.

I left for Canada in September 1975. Father had a big farewell party for me. Grandpa Chan came down from Sibu. We had mixed feelings, he was 83. There was unspoken words like, would I see you again. In February 1976, I read that he had died. I remembered that bowl of sweet noodle soup that I had tip out.


These are traditional noodles, for my save the world meme, it is so very important to maintain our tradition.



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Alphabe letter V for vintage light in the country.

Photo taken at Sia Villa
In both sets of grandparents houses, it was considered SAN BA or country. Until 1970s, they did not have electricity supply. In the bedrooms, we used a tiny kerosene lamp. 
There was one pressure lamp in the lounge. We kids were interested when the pressure lamp was lighted. 7^th Uncle Peter Yin Fei was responsible for getting the lamp down the beam while standing on a chair. With the lamp on the floor, he authorized us not to crowd too near him as he goes on his important job. First, he pours kerosene into the base. Then he pumps, if we were good, he would let us have a go. Finally he lights the bulb. The whole room glows like it was lit by a florescent light. The bulb or the mantle is made of some sort of fibre of asbestos. One day, my curiosity killed the cat. I touched the mantle and simply melted away. 7^th Uncle asked who touched the mantle and nobody admitted. Peter thought the bulb was faulty.

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.co.nz/

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Alphabe-Thursday

Ngajat: The Iban dance

The Ngajat dance, I don't think you need to be taught the steps, as my Kai Sister Magdeline says, the agung gong is mesmorising, and others suspect that it is the the fire water the duak that threw any inhibition our of the window. As for me, this was the first and probably the only chance I get to do this dance. I wanted my New Zealand students to share in the fun. The dance is very elegant as you can see our dance leader Awa. I just twirled my fingers. Wearing my Nyonya Kebaya set the mood.

You can see from the face of Da Mei and Ling Kie King that we had a great time.

The beautiful Iban/Sea Dayak orange costume of Awa.

Our own Real McCoy, Awa our Iban beauty.

Siblings Benson and Mag ah Lee, full of fun. That is why I love them.

When Mother and her siblings were born, Grandfather Kong invited the Sea Dayak chieftains to be their adopted parents[1]. There was a big ceremony with much feasting and dining. These chieftains became Mother and her sibling’s Apai (Dad) and Amei (Mum). In so doing, the Sea Dayak chieftains and all those living in that particular longhouse pledged to treat Mother and her siblings as their own. Should any Sea Dayak from another long house come to attack the Kongs, their adopted longhouse would come and protect them. This is an interesting ceremony as we are unaware of other families doing the same.

http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.co.nz

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small planes and Elizabeth

 In 1969, Elizabeth went to Mukah to teach. She flew in a small seven-seater plane.

Mother cried, “She said, the plane is so small, is it safe?”

Grace kit Mui had shortly been born. One day, Mother sat in the room once shared by Elizabeth and me and now my room. I did not pay attention to what she was doing. 

It rained. In Sarawak, when it rained, it did not just rain, it poured. We all rushed downstairs to take in the laundry. In those days, there were no disposable diapers. We used cloth nappies. 

When we got back, Mother was in tears. She showed me the letter she was writing to Elizabeth. She had written almost three quarter of an A4 page long. We had forgotten to shut the window. The rain came in and smudged the words. She had written with a fountain pen. The words were illegible. What a waste! I consoled her, you can write again. She said she had no more mood or motivation to write again. 

The war stopped Mother's education. It wasn't easy for Mother to write. She tried very hard.
Elizabeth married Kallang from Bario Highland in 1974. To get to Bario, you also have to fly in a small plane.

http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/

http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com

Playing Sleuth: Grandfather and I

Pt Chevalier RSA

RSA preparing poppy flowers for ANZAC Day

                                                Poppy day collection

                                           Public  library to check the electoral roll

In the early 1970s, Grandpa played super sleuth. A man was looking for his son. It wasn't an easy task. The man's first wife was jealous of his concubine aka second wife. The man suspected that she was pregnant when the first wife chased her away.

In his old age, without an heir, the man wanted to look for the child he had pregnant-ed.  Father was working in Sarikei. Grandpa and Mother located the woman. She wanted nothing to do with that atrocious family who chased her away, a pregnant woman to fend for herself.

Then Grandpa promised that there was a lot of properties that was duly the boy's. The boy was in his 20s. The boy didn't care either. "He can stuff his money up his....."

The reason I did this post is I went on a similar mission, looking for a missing person across the ocean in New Zealand.  It's early days, and I will let you know if I am successful.

Can airlines charge you according to your weight?

A very HOT issue  

Samoa airline to price tickets by passenger weight, Tickets sold not by the seat, but by kilogram.

a group of London students felt very humorous when they had to weigh in.

Auckland is the Pasifika capital of the world. I work with both Adults and children in teaching them ESOL, English as a second language. Some of them tell me that it is  their culture to be big. In America, they source big Samoans to play their football.

Think of the Rock, Dwayne Johnson who has made it big in WWE and Hollywood. Which kid does want to be the Rock in the motion picture , "The Mummy Returns (2001)" and "The Scorpion King (2002)"  His mother is of Samoan heritage

Recently  Samoa Air, announced introducing a world first: 'Pay only for what you weigh'! It stank all the way from Apia in Samoa to Auckland. How many The Rock are there?

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/02/17575049-samoa-airline-to-price-tickets-by-passenger-weight?lite

Actually Samoa is not the first country to do it, in Sarawak, where it has monopoly, flying to the remote mountains of Borneo, they have been doing it a long time.. 

As I was checking in for my flight in Miri to Mulu, there was a group of London Students on their Borneo tour to Bario. I told them that it was a pity my sister Elizabeth and Kallang had just left bario. Otherwise they would provide great hospitality. Indeed, Elizabeth had told me many a tourist had past through their long house, and some even went to their kitchen.

Bario is the home of my brother in law Kallang and Sister in Law Elly. They belong to the tribes of the kelabits. Bario is a nice place to visit as it is very cool because of it's high altitude and the people are very friendly.

The most convenient way to the Bario highlands is by twin otter plane. My sisters had told me before you board the plane, both you and your luggage had to be weighed. This is to make sure that the plane doesn't get overloaded.

Kallang is a big man and Elizabeth is a small woman. So their weight balance out. Things are very expensive in Bario. People try to pack as much as they can. Once, my other sister, a smallish woman was approached by a native if they could check in together. We joked that even before she boarded the plane, she was already hitched.

I spoke with a very friendly girl as they waited for the rural flight service.

You can see the students having fun as they weigh themselves.

The Next Challenge: Something Hot!

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Ed

Have fun with this challenge, you don’t have to do something literally hot. Maybe something that is perceived as hot or tastes hot…..

http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

世上只有妈妈好 by Emily Chan

I am a very proud aunty. This is Emily Chan, my brother Charles and sis-in-law Karen's baby daughter. Yes, no matter whether you are 23 , or you are 2, you are always your parents' baby, especially if you are the youngest child in the family.

Emily plays the guitar, piano and sings. She writes all her own songs and had recorded her music. Her music style is alternative/indie rock. Here she sings this aged old Chinese song for her Dad this father's day. She performed in Canada.
Download Emily Chan - Mum's The Best .

This is Emily's song: Mum's the best. Click on the link to listen to her lovely voice.

When I was little, my mom used to sing it to us, we tried to sing, but because e didn't know the lyrics and enough Chinese, we couldn't really sing it well. I was privileged that Emily asked me to teach her the song as a tribute to her Dad, my brother.

Almost twenty three years ago, on a Saturday morning, I was singing in this song,
I was "without a mom you are like a stalk of weed", I really needed my mum.
I needed my mum because my new born baby was dying, and I wanted my mum, but my mum had died eighteen months earlier.

It was Easter when I did the post of Mum and her chicks, I stuck these two chicks on my monitor. They remind me of Mum.

http://annkitsuet-chinchan.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/mum-and-her-chicks.html

Mum's the best by Emily Chan
Shi shang zhi you ma ma hao
you ma de hai zi xiang ge bao.
tou jin ma ma de huai bao
xin fu xiang bu liao

世上只有妈妈好
有妈的孩子像个宝
投进了妈妈的怀抱
幸福享不了

Mommy's the only dearest in the world
Those with mums are like treasures
Run to mum's bosom
you will be so happy

shi shang zhi you ma ma hao
Mei ma de hai zi xiang ge cao
li kai ma ma de huai bao
xin fu na li zhao.
世上只有妈妈好
没妈的孩子像根草
离开妈妈的怀抱
幸福哪里找

Mommy's the only dearest in the world
without a mom you are like a stalk of weed
away from mom's bosom,
where will you find happiness?

Shi shang zhi you ma ma hao
you ma de hai zi bu zhi dou.
Yaw shi ta men zhi dou
mon li yie hui siao.

世上只有媽媽好
有媽的孩子不知道
要是他知道
夢裡也會笑

Mommy's the only dearest in the world
Those with mums don't know
If only they know,
They will smile even in their dreams

Mei yu mama zui ku now
Motherless kids have most worries.

I posting this early for Mother's day. I will be traveling  to visit Emily and the rest of the Chans in Australia.

http://mondaymellowyellows.blogspot.com.au/

  
Stay mellow with yellow!

Mum's the best by Emily Chan

I am a very proud aunty. This is Emily Chan, my brother Charles and sis-in-law Karen's baby daughter. Yes, no matter whether you are 23 , or you are 2, you are always your parents' baby, especially if you are the youngest child in the family.

Emily plays the guitar, piano and sings. She writes all her own songs and had recorded her music. Her music style is alternative/indie rock. Here she sings this aged old Chinese song for her Dad this father's day. She performed in Canada.
Download Emily Chan - Mum's The Best .

This is Emily's song: Mum's the best. Click on the link to listen to her lovely voice.

When I was little, my mom used to sing it to us, we tried to sing, but because e didn't know the lyrics and enough Chinese, we couldn't really sing it well. I was privileged that Emily asked me to teach her the song as a tribute to her Dad, my brother.

Almost twenty three years ago, on a Saturday morning, I was singing in this song,
I was "without a mom you are like a stalk of weed", I really needed my mum.
I needed my mum because my new born baby was dying, and I wanted my mum, but my mum had died eighteen months earlier.

It was Easter when I did the post of Mum and her chicks, I stuck these two chicks on my monitor. They remind me of Mum.

http://annkitsuet-chinchan.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/mum-and-her-chicks.html

Mum's the best by Emily Chan
Shi shang zhi you ma ma hao
you ma de hai zi xiang ge bao.
tou jin ma ma de huai bao
xin fu xiang bu liao

世上只有妈妈好
有妈的孩子像个宝
投进了妈妈的怀抱
幸福享不了

Mommy's the only dearest in the world
Those with mums are like treasures
Run to mum's bosom
you will be so happy

shi shang zhi you ma ma hao
Mei ma de hai zi xiang ge cao
li kai ma ma de huai bao
xin fu na li zhao.
世上只有妈妈好
没妈的孩子像根草
离开妈妈的怀抱
幸福哪里找

Mommy's the only dearest in the world
without a mom you are like a stalk of weed
away from mom's bosom,
where will you find happiness?

Shi shang zhi you ma ma hao
you ma de hai zi bu zhi dou.
Yaw shi ta men zhi dou
mon li yie hui siao.

世上只有媽媽好
有媽的孩子不知道
要是他知道
夢裡也會笑

Mommy's the only dearest in the world
Those with mums don't know
If only they know,
They will smile even in their dreams

Mei yu mama zui ku now
Motherless kids have most worries.

I posting this early for Mother's day. I will be traveling  to visit Emily and the rest of the Chans in Australia.

http://mondaymellowyellows.blogspot.com.au/

  
Stay mellow with yellow!

Scrumptious food and memories of Kai Chung School. 开 中学校

Last year, in July I went to a reunion of the students I taught for 20 months some 40 years ago.

The students did a display of Chinese Wu Shu aka Tai Chi.

The man is pink, was one of the few I taught with. He is Mr. Ngu.

Scrumptious food was offered for refreshment. This green fruit is the famous local orange.

Ex students who have now become my friends, Lau Peng Yew in Chinese. I remember Dennis Hii because he was the sports captain, and I was a very involved sports mistress.

More scrumptious food.

Two roads meet,
I chose the one less traveled by,
That has made all the different.

Robert Frost,


 Kai Chung will always have a special place in my heart. That was why I came back for the reunion, despite my husband telling me that it wasn't my reunion, why did I go. In deed, I was the only ex teacher who traveled afar across the ocean, across the sea.

Most people did not know, I did not want to come to Kai Chung. I wanted to go to St Antony. Kai Chung was a Chinese school, and I came from an English medium school. My Dad was the divisional officer,  he could put me in any school I wanted. He put me to Kai Chung. 

Twenty months in Kai Chung, I loved it. The staff were good, The students were polite.

Most of all, Kai Chung was the place where I started to have the Chineseness in me. Before, I would not speak Chinese. In Kai Chung, I spoke Chinese with Mr. Pau, Mr Ngu, Hwang Tai Tai and Liew Ping. Mr. Ngu taught me my favourite Chinese song, "This little green island." Someone please ask Mr. Ngu. Now I am going to blog about it. Thanks Mr. Ngu.

 綠島小夜曲  I still sing it and is the only Chinese song I can sing in completion.

http://youtu.be/TgOwpbuigeQ



这绿岛歌曲


http://whistlestopphotohunt.blogspot.co.nz  scrumptious