#85

It has been a long time since I’ve been to a birthday party in the garden.

In the late 1960s to around the mid 1970s, going for our cousins Richard’s, Neil’s or Judy-Ann’s birthdays meant going to the fairy playground. There were slides, merry-go-rounds, see-saw (who can forget the see-saw); which we played (some fought [yes, I’m talking about the adults] to skip queue for their turn) on, the whole evening. A wide spread of delicious food including Aunty Maureen’s home-made mini sausage rolls, cookies and cakes filled our stomachs. Uncle Alex would take charge of giving out ice-cream on wafer cones after our meal.

All this had a price: Uncle Alex without fail would start one of his party songs like:
“Green Grass Grew All Around”
There was a hole in the middle of the ground
The biggest hole
That you ever did see
And the hole was in the ground
And the green grass grew all around, all around, and the green grass grew all around.
And in that hole
There was a tree
The prettiest tree
That you ever did see
And the tree was in the hole
And the hole was in the ground
And the green grass grew all around, all around, and the green grass grew all around.

“There was a hole,
a pretty little hole,
a pretty little hole did you ever did see,
The green grass grows all round all round, the green grass grows all round”.
(This was a long song, at least for us at the young ages we were😀)

“Frère Jacques“
Frère Jacques
Frère Jacques
Dormez-vous?
Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines
Sonnez les matines
Ding-ding-dong
Ding-ding-dong

Are you sleeping?
Are you sleeping?
Brother John?
Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing
Morning bells are ringing
Ding-ding-dong
Ding-ding-dong

Today (July 8th) was a special birthday party for Aunty Maureen (my dad’s elder of two sisters) to celebrate her 85th birthday. An early birthday party as her actual birthday is on July 10th (yes, same as mine). The party was put together by her children and grandchildren. They were there in full force. Location: Francis’ (Aunty Maureen’s youngest son, my cousin), his wife, Stephanie and their daughter, Emilia’s home and home to Aunty Maureen. It is a beautiful home, great place for parties…

Almost the whole Malaysian chapter of the Atkinson clan were there. She had many dear friends come celebrate with her, as well; this amazing achievement of 85.

She was seated at the main table; all dressed up elegantly, prim and proper with a light pink hat; just right for a garden tea party. She greeted everyone with her famous warm and loving smile. When she spoke, she spoke with gentleness.

*You can bet I was looking for those famous mini sausage rolls. Sadly there was none. All the other pastries more than made up for it.*

As time went by, everyone came to pay her “homage”. She was always smiling. I spent some time with her, finding out how she was keeping. I told her that I thought she would do the Charleston of the roaring ’20s (1920s, that is), as it is one of her favourites. She’s game for anything, almost.

Continuous music (songs that Aunty Maureen likes) in the background, came from a Marshall speaker. Rebecca prepared the list of songs that were aired.

*Aunty Maureen with Agnes, a dear friend. Agnes has always looked up to Aunty Maureen for her Aunty Maureen-ness, as many, many people do.*

*Seen here, with her kid brother, Uncle Ronnie.*

*“Sing properly, I’m listening…and attentively, at that”.* 😀

The evening was light and brightly happy. What a nice tribute for Aunty Maureen. The Hardings pulled off another great episode of “SUCCESS”.

*The two rocket-like flares, flared out; leaving the candles by themselves, lit.*

*Richard giving a speech. Followed by Neil; then Francis.*

*A wide choice of yummy cakes and pastries.*

*With her eldest son, Richard, his wife, Kathy; and their daughter, Akhila.*

*With her #2 son, Neil; Penny and their children (Standing: Left to Right: Ben (#2 or second eldest), Elizabeth (eldest), Glenn (3), Timothy (youngest), Elizabeth (#5) and David (#4).*

*With youngest son, Francis, his wife, Stephanie and their daughter, Emilia.*

Here’s wishing Aunty Maureen a very Happy and Blessed 85th birthday.

Mum turns 85 years old today, June 14th. Woo hoo hoo! And Dad just turned 90 last month. Bee bup a lula…

We, (mum’s children in case you may be wondering who the “we” are. Not the French meaning for “yes’😉) that is Terence and his wife Mabel, and their daughter, Ashley; Malcolm and his wife Uma; our sister, Jennifer’s (deceased) husband, Ray; our brother Nigel’s (deceased) wife, Shirley and their daughter, Sarah; me and my wife, Jeannie; gathered (better word than “assembled”😏) last Saturday (June 11th) with dad and mum in Klang; to have an early birthday celebration for mum. As for the rest of the family – Laura is in the U.S. (She will be calling mum today to wish her); Alana, Tim and Jay were working.

While dad potters around with things to do and looks for every (I could be overly dramatic here) excuse…reason… to run on an errand, no matter how small it may be; mum busies herself with cake making – the lady that makes the best butter cake in the world; umpteenth year running 🏆💖. Woo hoo hoo…Do the walk…

Mum quite often reminisces her younger days, especially when she was very young and a few years later, in school.

When she was around 5 years old, the Japanese defeated the British in Malaya, who at that time occupied Malaya (part of the British empire) which is current day Peninsula Malaysia. Thus, they, the Japanese; took over occupying Malaya. This was the period during World War 2 (WW2). Mum, together with her elder brothers and sisters, and their neighbourhood friends; were the kids of Lorong Hicks Road.

They used to play in the street. When the air raid sirens sounded; all the kids would run to the nearby Bukit Nanas hill forest, jump into the dug-out trenches and stay there until the air raid sirens stopped. She said the braver boys would run up to the top of the hill to watch the British bomber planes (aeroplanes / airplanes) bomb parts of KL (Kuala Lumpur) which presumably would have been where the Japanese military army were and perhaps the railway station and tracks in Bangsar, and also the railway yard in Sentul.

Mum remembered how the Japanese soldiers would come to their house, as well as other houses in the neighbourhood; looking for girls to take away to fulfil the lust and other unimaginable deeds of these said soldiers. Her late father (“Oli Papa”, my grandfather), would hide her and her sisters under his king-size bed, and cover the bed whenever the Japanese soldiers came to their house. Oli Papa’s bed was one of those beds which was quite high off the ground.

At the end of WW2, the British recaptured Malaya from the grasp of the Japanese occupation when the Japanese surrendered. Mum said the same Japanese officers and soldiers that used to terrorize them, were made to cut grass with small scissors by the British soldiers.

Mum was a student of the famed Bukit Nanas Girls’ school, which was near her house. She, her sisters and friends used to walk to and from school. Over the many years since leaving school; she had managed to connect with some of her classmates. Her most recent connection is one, Ms Stephanie Pinto. “Recent” means, August 2020.

“Hi Alan, tq for your prompt reply. I was going to call Mum, but glad I waited a while. Now I have more news to share with her. Yes I knew Mum’s birthday was on Sunday, 14th June and that she just turned 83. I will be 84 in August and Mum never fails to call me on my birthday. Your Mum always was and is a very sweet lady and a dear friend. Mum was a very good dancer and had many, many friends, but Dad was the lucky chosen one. We had many good times together and we laughed and a lot. Those were the days when we were so carefree, happy and enjoyed innocent fun.” ~ Whatsapp message from Aunty Stephanie; June 17, 2020.

There will definitely be more wonderful memories and stories from mum to come soon.

All of us, her family, wish mum a very happy 85th birthday; with God’s choicest blessings on her. We love you mum💖.

NOTES:
KL Sentral which is in today’s Bangsar; is the central hub where the various main forms of land transport converge and connect to the rest of Peninsula Malaysia. The Kuala Lumpur railway station is very nearby to KL Sentral, but it has lost its importance as a centre for railway transport activity.
The railway yard in Sentul, still plays a very role for the railway.
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May the peoples of this world strive to be at peace with each other always.
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The photographs of yester-year is courtesy of dad.

leatherpotato

The future is now. Live it!

AUNTY MAUREEN AT 85

WALK OF LIFE AT 85, MUM