This thread is not a duplicate of Caroline Gee’s ‘Chinese New Year - When I was a young girl’. There the topic focuses on how we spent our CNY when we were very young.

Here we’ll share our memories (as much as we can recollect) of the lifestyle we had from childhood to young adults. I reckon most of us will remember the Racial Riots, the Robinson fire and the itinerant hawkers.

I used to live in Tiong Bahru and it’s very close to Redhill. It was there when I came face-to-face with parang-wielding people of a particular race chasing after groups of people of another race. I was in the car of my eldest step-sister and we were en route to somewhere when we saw this incident. Needless to say, we were petrified at the sight of people being attacked! People were running everywhere, heedless of traffic on the main road. All the vehicles were cutting lanes and speeding just to get out of the melee. I was in my early teens and that is one frightening episode of a vicious fight between races I will never forget. *shivers*

Coming to food, we had this itinerant hawkers who carried their food on bamboo baskets on both ends of a hardy bamboo pole they heaved on their shoulder. As they pass the footpaths behind the flats they will holler the name of the food they sell. ‘Yong Tau Fooooooo’…..or ‘Lo Kai Yek’ often dragging the last word for impact. As children, my siblings and me will rush to the window whenever we hear the call of the hawkers. Sometimes my mother will buy but as children we got a thrill watching our neighbours ordering their food. For those living on the 3rd and 4th floor of the flats, they have to raise their voice to place their orders. Dialects were commonly used then so we got to know who speaks Cantonese and who speaks Teochew in our neighbourhood. The most interesting memory I have is the method of business transaction used.

All households in my neighbourhood will have a rattan basket with a long rope - one end is tied to the handle of the basket. The basket with money placed in it was then lowered to the ground floor. After the hawker has collected the money and placed the food into the basket, it was then hoisted up manually by pulling the rope. It had to be done slowly or else the basket might tip over and the food will be spilt.

Another fond memory I have is of the round ice balls. You know, the one where the Ah Poo Neh Neh (no offence to Indians) grabs a chunck of shaved ice, used his fingers to make a depression and filled it with boiled red beans and then add more shave ice and finally using both his palms to press the shave ice into a ball? He would then pour flavoured colourings round the ice ball and add condensed milk too, if requested.

The joy was in slurping all the sweetness of the flavourings in the ice ball and asking the APNN for more. Sometimes when he was in a good mood he would oblige but if not, he’ll cuss us in his language waving his hands to shoo us away. He could cut the ice ball in half so it can be shared.

There are so many wonderful memories all of us will have and it’s good to share before we forget them all. What we went through our children will never experienced even if they want to.

Oh! I forgot the water bombs! Hahahaha…Fill those plastic bags with water, tie up the end with rubber band, wait for courting couples walking on the street below and aim the water bomb at them after they’ve passed by. The intention was to shock not to drench them. Hehehehe

What can you remember? Perhaps we have similar experiences that are funny, naughty or plain nostalgic?

S-H-A-R-E

Ros

Hello SHCians! I do believe most of us do not mind catching a good movie at the cinemas and/or live plays at the theatres occasionally. There are TWO genres of movies that are even more enjoyable in the company of friends.

1)  Horror movies - where we can scream aloud and frighten other cinema goers;

2)  Comedy movies - where it’s okay to laugh and laugh without being hauled off to IMH

For live plays, there are interesting foreign and local productions worth watching.

If you happen to like movies or live plays please indicate your interest in catching such shows with fellow SHCians.  I will be on the lookout for both categories and help arrange for day/day/time of viewing.

For your information, Senior Citizens above the age of 55 are entitled to watch movies at most cinemas IN THE AFTERNOON & ON WEEKDAYS ONLY for S$4.00.

I hope to generate some response for this thread….:p

Ros

All SHCians interested in a 7-day tour of the following places: Alice Springs, Kings Canyou, Uluru (Ayers Rock) etc can reply to this post for more details. A friend is organising it with a local tour company. Cost is approx. SGD 3200 and includes all airfares, hotel accomodation, most meals etc. Regards Joan                                                                 

About a year ago, I met a guy in Perth.  We have since accepted one another as friends.  During the time of our meeting, we talked and joked about an idea of "Hire a Husband" as a means to find househelp.  I didn’t know what the idea was all about; until he brought me some Western Australian newspapers classifieds section.  Inside the classifieds was a section on "Hire a Husband".

Initially, I was eagerly looking for another section on "Hire a wife"; but cannot find.  Only got "Hire a Husband".  Well, this is a househelp section where you can find someone to help you buy the groceries, fix a broken lamp, walk the dog or even to feed you if you cannot hold a spoon.  Keeping one company appear to be one of the accepted tasks too.  Sounds very professional work.

In SHC, we have some guys and gals who have raised this topic before, ie help with SHC.  Well, this is Hire a husband.  Sounds fun, eh?  Let your thoughts run wild; and once  you have an idea, share it here.  We may be able to develop this "Hire a Husband" into something worthwhile doing as we get further into our SilverHairs years.

Terence Seah 

I suddenly feel the urge to eat some Thai durians.  Also, tom yam soups, steamed sotongs and plenty of veggies.  Then, I think the sceneries should be an open sea with winds blowing over the face.  Maybe the smell of 2 inch crabs, 5 inch king crabs and fresh anchovies caught in nets, in the morning.  And, the urge to sleep from lunch to dinner.  Chance to eat some cockcroaches.  May 2-3 star hotels.  Likely with hot water.  A chance to chat with the local villagers and maybe learn how to cook tomyam soup and something else.

I am planning a trip to Thailand 23- 26 April 2010, both days inclusive.  Likely to be relaxing, no shopping, nothing to do, coasting Chonburi, to Jomtien to Bang Saray and Rayong.  Plenty of light eating and loads of sleeping and dreaming.  Likely to be limited to 16 pax. Itinery will be plane land in Bkk, pickup and return to airport.  Dates likely fixed and not changeable.

Please indicate your interest here.  I think we will try a new way to confirm the trip for those who are confirmed to join.  Likely again to be $50 deposit and the rest pay when you are in Thailand.  If you cannot come, we will use the $50 to buy durians.  Have fun.

Fri, Apr 23, 2010 - Must arrive Bkk airport by 0900 hrs. Pickup at airport 0930 hrs. You can use Jetstar, Tigerairways or any airline. There is no pickup from Bkk.

Mon, Apr 26, 2010 - Trip ends 1500 hrs. You will leave a hotel in Chonburi. From here, you will be sent to the airport. You can also make your own way to Bkk, book your own hotel and go back to Singapore on your own.

Terence Seah

Registration List (16 pax only):

1. Jessie Lee - Z7CK4Z
2. Lawrence Lee - Z7CK4Z
3. Paul Kong - LZS5LH
4. Peggy Kong - LZS5LH
5. Pearl - LZS5LH
6. Nina Choo - LZS5LH
7. Lisa Ong - LZS5LH
8. Freddy Tan - LZS5LH

9. Karen Thio - BZP1DH

10. Evyonne Chew BZP1DH

11. Sockie - BZP1DH

12. Gingko Tay - KZQBDE

13. Mary Tan - RZSQCF

14. Terence Seah - KDD1QH

15. /Closed.

On behalf of the SilverHairsClub, I like to wish every SHCian "Xin Nian Kuai Ler" as we welcome the year of the Tiger.

I am indeed glad to be able to celebrate another year of the SilverHairsClub with fellow members.  Wish you stay healthy, also wealthy and young at heart.

Terence Seah 

I am baking my sugi biscuits.  While they are in the oven, I thought its a good time to share my thoughts.

I remember how I spent my Chinese New Year when I was young. By starting this thread, I am hoping to hear from you what customs, tradition, beliefs and superstitions your parents had when celebrating CNY.

My family was very poor then.  My dad was a baker and he barely made enough money to feed my mum and their seven chiildren.  We had dark sauce with rice and if mum has a little more to spare, then we get eggs with rice. 

We love Chinese New Year because no matter how tight our finances were, we would still have chicken, fish, rice and chup chye.  This is a once a year feast so we ate our fill.  I remembered mum buying a crate of Green Spot - I love that orange juice.  Maybe at that time, we were so hard up, everything tasted good.

Mum would make her Hainanese snacks and goodies.  We had "Hee How" - this is a pinky size dough deep fried and coated with frosting and "Ho Gong" - rice bubbles with roasted peanut and caramel.  I used to help mum mak them but its a pity I did not note down the recipes cos it was old school style where everything was a handful, or a pinch or thumb size type of measurement.

I think the most popular person during the period prior to CNY day had to be the Bibi who lived a few doors away from us.  She was very good at making all the Nonya goodies and one of her favourites was Kuih Bolu.  During those days, there was only the cast iron mould and charcoal stove.  As with most Bibis, the QC standards for their kuihs were high. The kuihs would be discarded if they were found to have the slightest burn on them.  My neighbour will bake her kuih bolu with bits of glowing charcoal in the stove and on top of the mould so that there will be even distribution of heat. 

There were many children in the neighbourhood and when Bibi is making her kuih, we would hang around her backyard where she does her baking. Then when she lifts the mould cover to check, the children will chant "hangus" (charred) and when she exclaims "alamak", we would charge forward with toothpicks in our hands and poked at the Bolu and went to one corner to savour our "catch" and Bibi would say cilaka!

My eldest sister would be in charge of cutting our hair and making our clothes.  She had limited knowledge of hairstyling or tailoring.  We always prayed very hard before we let her cut our hair. No matter what style we asked for, we always get the "coconut head" hairstyle.  Our hair looked like a bowl had been placed on our head and it looked like whoever was responsible just used the scissors and go round, following the rim of the bowl.

Our dresses were not any better.  Mum would buy a bale of cotton (cheaper this way) and we got to choose our pattern. It waseither pockets or a bow (bows).  I loved my bows, 3 of them in a row on my chest.  So pretty

We dont get to keep our hongbaos.  We were instructed on the eve that we were supposed to hand them over to mum as soon as we got them so that mum could recyle the money :(  So sad that telling this brings tears to my eyes.  Not that I am sad that I dont get to keep the money, more so that mum must have wished that she could afford for us to keep what were given to us.

Those days, we had fire crackers and we were usually awake from eve through midnight and at the stroke of midnight, mum will unwrap sweets (the sweetest type she can find at the stores) and stuff them into our mouths before we can utter any word as it is believed that in this way, only sweet words and good things will come out from our mouth.

No matter how poor or how hard life was then, my sisters and I enjoyed our childhood days.  We appreciate very much we have today.  When things get tough now, we tell ourselves that life was tough when we were young but we dealt with all the blows that came our way and survived. if anything goes wrong like if I drop my purse and loses some money, or if I break something, I tell myself "buang sueh" - meaning to throw away the bad luck.

Oooooh my sugi biscuits are out of the oven and they are very happy.  Why, cos they are all bursting will smiles like what you see on huat kuihs (steamed sponge cakes).  Tasted one and its yummylicious.

I hope to be like my sugi biscuits - happy as can be.

Xin Nian Kuai Le and Gong Xi Fa Cai and Shen Ti Jian Kang and Wan Shi Ru Yi

Cheers

Caroline Gee