Andrew's Funeral

Yesterday, an plane belonging to Air New Zealand crashed in the Mediterranean near Perpignan. A chill shuddered my spine and all New Zealanders. You see, it is exactly the anniversary of the Mount Erebus disaster.

On 28 November 1979 the 14th flight crashed into Mount Erebus, killing all 237 passengers and 20 crewmembers aboard. We, the Kiwis were in shock.

Yesterday's news tugged my heart string. It was a week ago when I marked in silence, the anniverary of my baby Andrew's passing. I once wrote a peom.

Losing a baby is like the culmination of nine months of planning a long holiday.

It was going to be a joyious time of watching the celebrities at the Cannes festival.
Instead without notice, the plane crashes.
You are alone on a Meditteranean island.
You are alone holding your dead child.
For the rest of your life, your life is like a puzzle.
One piece is missing, life will never ne the same again.
If you are lucky, you will have friends to hold your hands.

My Andrew: 29 September - 22 November 1989.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/campomelicfamilies/

Mickey Mouse bush, Ochna serrulata 2

Francis, my 6th Uncle used to buy motor bikes like my Grandpa saying, changing bikes like changing shoes. He was was staying with us and my parents were living in Sarikei.

I was seventeen. One day, out of the blue, Francis asked if I wanted to ride his bike. Boy! did I want to ride his bike. He showed me the ropes and I was off. Our road was a private cul-de-sac. On both sides were long lalang grass, and Mickey Mouse shrub.

I got on the bike with wind blowing in my face and zoomed. I wasn't very steady and before I knew it, I had crashed the bike to a Mickey Mouse bush. I fell and the bike landed on top of me.

Francis asked, if I was hurt.

I replied, No, just a few scratches from the sharp lalang grass. It was my ego which was bruised. I never rode a bike again.

Francis died prematurely at 55. I was in Singapore when the family rang me. When I see the mickey mouse shrubs, I cry a tear for him.



Fellow blogger in the Philippines mentioned a plant they call Mickey Mouse. It is interesting that different regions call different plants by different names. In two much older posts, I posted with passion this Mickey Mouse plant.

Our dog eared visitors' book

This old dog eared visitors' book was given by V and H when we left Auckland for Singapore in 1990. There are lots of gems in it, and entries come from friends we just made to friends we have known for a long time.

Our first entry were a New York Couple and two Japanese ladies. I used to go to the Singapore Bird park a lot. We met them, and we invited them home. They did, and they were squashed in our car. They enjoyed our hospitality, and later the New York couple sent us gifts for the girls, including Oscar in his rubbish can.

For privacy reasons, I normally do not upload my visitors photos we took with them. Neither will I include all the others who have signed in the visitors' book, except our magician friend Bernard Bell from UK.

However, this pix was taken so long ago, in 1992. It would be good if my readers recognise them, and make a connection for me. In fact, during the 9/11, I wanted to write them a letter. The other children were our neighbours from Ghana.

Central park, New York

We went in a horse and carriage. Our driver was a visiting student from Israel. She told us a lot about the Middle East. She gave the kids a carrot to feed the horse.

In Donald Trump's apprentice "Celebrity Version," they had a challenge in the horse and carriage in Central Park. Watching it with Sam gave me lots of sweet memories. We also went into Trump building.

A child's drawings of New York.

We came back from a boat ride to the Statue of Liberty. On the way back, there was a Puerto Rican Parade. D drew these pictures at the hotel. We bought giant slabs of rectangle pizzas.

***D was about eight or nine years old.***