Banjo and her puppies

Tuesday, 20 June 2006
Banjo gave birth to 3 male puppies this morning. It was raining and Mother found her between pots of flowers near the fence! We have no idea why she chose that place when there were sheds and more comfortable places to go to! Why? Why? Why? She has given birth more than 4 times and never have she done this! Banjo has already given birth to 2 puppies when Mother found her. After settling her down in a dog shed, she gave birth to her last puppy.

Thursday, 22 June 2006
There were no names given to the puppies yet. Mother discovered the black one and the biggest of the 3, died! We feel so sorry for him. It must be the raining and cold condition that he was born in. Banjo didn't seem to be acting well herself! We feared for her and the other 2 puppies.

Friday, 23 June 2006
I went to the vet and purchased Banjo some special food to boost her appetite and energy. It worked!

A letter to My father

Sunday, 18 June 2006

Dear Beloved Father,

How are you? I am thinking of you. Funny, since you left us on the 5 September 2005, I have only dreamt of you once! No news is good news, ya? And that was only a week ago! You were talking to your youngest grandson, Clinton.

Dad, Uncle Ni was here in Miri for 2 weeks, and so was Sister Monica. Aunty Ni was sick, that is why Uncle couldn't come and see you before you passed away. She passed away a month before you did. Did you meet Aunty Ni?

We know you are in good hands and that you are with Joseph, who passed away on the 24 March 1999, and with all our departed loved ones.

Don't worry, Dad, we are all doing fine. We love you and we miss you! Happy Father's Day.

Love from your daughter, Irene

The Ni Family Connection

Thursday, 8 June 2006

Uncle Ni gave me a write-up of His family. I am so grateful for any information I could get as regards to my forefathers and relatives. Dad didn't manage to write for me before he passed away but this will do to get me started to know my ancestors and my relatives. I have copied here some part of it.

Uncle Ni wrote:.............................
My grandfather's name was Ni Chao Fan. Another of his names was Ni Ke Zhao. My grandfather had 3 younger brothers who went to Vietnam to earn their living when they were young I had never got their news. In 1968, an auntie (the daughter of one of my grandfather's brothers) from Vietnam traveled to China and came to see us for a few days.

My grandfather had 2 wives. His first wife, Lin, was born in Xichang area of Jieyang in Guangdong province. She passed away in her early life. She has one daughter, i.e. my eldest auntie, who married in our neighbouring village Shuorong. She was blind in her middle age. She and her 4 daughters and her adopted son were living a poor life. The second wife of my grandfather whose surname was Huang was born in Zaopu area of Jieyang. She has two sons and a daughter. Her first son was my father, Ni Qingai (Ni Ging Ai). Her second son was called Ni Qinggui and her daughter was called Ni Yuezhen.

My grandfather was living by farming. Besides, he earned some money by going to Jieyang city which was more than 20 miles away to puchase goods for the shops of Xinheng area. He didn't have much education but he was an honest and respected man in the village. One day in February 1944, when my grandfather was 62 years old, his boat was attacked by a strong wind on his way home from Jieyang and my grandfather was drowned. His dead body got dredged out of the water by fishing boats and we had a funeral for him in our hometown.

After that, my father took grandfather's place to do the purchasing twice every three days. I often went to the dock to help my father carry the goods since I was 15. In 1952, my father lost this job after the Chinese Liberation and did the farming in the hometown. People in the village would ask my father which day was the lucky day for them to have a wedding or a funeral My father knew much about it. The villagers would give him some food as presents to express their appreciation. My father was fond of Chaoshan opera and very good at playing the flute. In the spring of 1976, he had a bladder cancer and at the end of the year passed away in the hospital at the age of 71.

My father married my mother, Lai Mei Qing, who was born in Baishi village in Xinheng area. They have 3 sons and 2 daughters. My mother has never gone to school but she was honest and tender-hearted. She was a dutiful and loving mother.

Because they live a poor life in the hometown, my uncle Ni Qing Gui and his family moved to Cambodia to earn their living in 1947. In 1977, we got his letter from an overseas Chinese. He told us in the letter that he didn't live a very good life either in Camdodia, so he was not proud to establish contact with us. During the period of the social beheaval of Cambodia, Chinese are not allowed to live in it, so my uncle's sons and daughters went to to live in Germany and Australia.

My elder brother, Ni Tai Sen (that is my father!) was farming in his youth. He married Lin Liu Jin (that is my mother!) who was born in Xinxihe of Xinheng area. My brother went to South East Asia alone in 1946. He first entered Vietnam and gradually travelled to Thailand, West Malaysia, Singapore and finally Miri (East Malaysia).

I wondered about the "Ni" connections in Germany and Australia (besides my Sister Monica)!

See you, Uncle Ni and Sister Monica

Monday, 5 June 2006
I am gladful and grateful that Sister is here. If she isn't, I would need to accompany Uncle Ni to Kuala Lumpur and see him off on Wednesday, when he flys back to China.

Uncle Ni could not understand and speak English or Malay. Sister is accompanying Uncle Ni and will only leave for Australia on Saturday.

I am already missing them!

Farewell Dinner for Uncle Ni

Sunday, 4 June 2006
We are going to miss Uncle Ni. He is leaving Miri tomorrow and we don't know when he is coming back to visit again. I am glad both my brothers and their respective families were able to eat tonight's dinner with Uncle Ni. Dad, is no more around. Uncle Ni has been the father figure, during the past weeks.