96th birthday of our Ah-Tio / Godfather

-

This November month in 2024, our late paternal aunt’s husband Ah-Tio celebrated his 96th birthday and this post is to honour him. He met our aunt when they were colleagues at Bata Shoes in Singapore in the mid 50’s (different departments) and soon after they married when he was posted to Malaysia she joined him in Klang, Selangor. Our Bedok kampong house remained family to them as they initially lived there when they tied the knot in December 1958. We have fond recollections of him being in the house often even if only on weekends and special trips in and out of Malaysia. Of course, trips to West Malaysia for vacations were his forte and we depended on him to show us around. Trips that our father made while still single and we as a family in 1973 were some of the memorable ones that took place. He eventually became godfather to the younger of us.  Ah-Tio here’s wishing you well on your special day, we love you very much!

1958, the year he married our paternal aunt (beside him), and posing by our Bedok kampong house

1961 in the garden of the house with the Bedok Beach (unseen) at the back and the Sultan of Pahang's holiday home to the left (not seen here)

1964 in the garden with the house overlooking 

1966 on the steps of the house veranda cradling his new born baby, our cousin



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"I Play And Sing" at our Bedok kampong house

-
Image
Here is some ‘claim to fame’ for us: In 1971, we (at aged 10 and 8 then) were thrilled to turn on our black and white TV at our Bedok kampong house to watch Mel & Joe Ferdinands compete in the RTS Talentime then. We most remembered them singing the song “I Play & Sing”. At that time, they lived further up from our place at Bedok Road at the Bedok Walk area and we took the same bus to our primary school then, St Stephen’s (at Siglap Hill). Unfortunately by the time the school bus arrived at their place, all seats were taken and they had to stand but Joe was really friendly to us and smiled mostly! (these days standing not allowed but those were the days) (photos not ours)
Read more

Hair, There and Everywhere.. at old Bedok kampong

-
Image
“What?  You brought him back from the barber without him having his hair cut?”, this writer’s (the older brother) mother asked my father incredulously as he brought the by-now dried eyed little boy back from the ‘frightening’ experience at the barber’s to our Bedok kampong house. “He refused to have his hair cut, so I brought him back…” was my father’s honest reply. Babu (or Mr in Indian terms as explained by former neighbour Ronald Ho) was our preferred go-to barber for all the male-folk in the family, not the Chinese one situated a little farther along. Babu’s shop was located near (or next to) Ah Yam’s provision shop, along Bedok Road (Ah Yam's story was posted on October 16, 2024) and just where the bus stop is (now Cold Storage). He was mostly dressed in a white short sleeved shirt and had a genteel and calming way about him. He was great, but not the aura of his shop and equipment! As a little me recalled, I intensely disliked seeing the chair which had a fear aboding loo...
Read more

The Ritual of burning Kemenyan

-
Image
Each Thursday evening around 6pm, our grandmother would have someone from the household burn some kemenyan incense on a holder and carry this burner to every room and corner in our Bedok kampong house. We knew this was a spiritual practice but just recently informed by our mother that this act appeases the spirit owners of the house.... can still recall the distinct smell and incense smoke as this post is written.... 1955 photo of our Bedok kampong house with our grandmother (58 years old here) posing.. Kemenyan incense burner/holder (photo not ours)
Read more