Buloh Road 1966-early 1970

the front of the house, Dad's orchid hanging from the rafters.

with sister Helen 1966. Helen was the girl twin and I loved her to bits, 

1968 the background house is identical to ours.

the steps to the back door.

The house had a small drain at the front, and a big monsoon drain at the back. At high tide, the monsoon drain could swell to five meters wide and two meters deep. This drain was great fun for us. We could swim; we could dive and paddle a homemade raft. Grandfather Kong gave us fish basket traps. We did not trap much fish but we got snakes instead.

Charles said I was the bravest girl in Sibu town; I would grab hold of the snake’s head and be a snake charmer. I loved to frighten my two older sisters with the live snakes. 

This post is dedicated to the memory of one of my best childhood friend Kong Kheng Fun. She and I and Margaret and Joseph used to swim in this monsoon drain after school. Dad had put planks across the drain so we could dive into the water.  

Once, the water had receded a little, we still dived into the water. Ouch!!!! I got out and was in excruciating pain. I touch my head, I was bleeding. Kheng Fun and Margaret looked and saw the gash on the top of my head. We quickly crept upstairs and showered. The water was bloodied. Margaret and Kheng Fun dabbed yellow lotion on the wound. We all suffered in silence. We knew if we told Mother, she would take me to the hospital for stitches and that would be the end of our swimming.

When the water receded, I took a stick and removed the broken beer bottle semi embedded in the drain bed. In no time, we were swimming again, even though my head wound wasn't fully healed.

Kheng Fun is also a Hakka girl. It just went to show how tenacious we Hakka girls can be. Our Grandma Kong called us Moi Zai See, aka Bloody useless girls.

To my renewed friendship with Kheng Fun's bro who found me recently on Facebook.  I posted these photos for you, the only ones I could find of the house when you used to frequent to see Charles.