Reversing the car into a roadside ditch in the pitch darkness of the night

Wheel realignment and
balancing work to the MyVi

Last night my car landed in the roadside ditch near the house. The driver didn't notice the ditch at the rear and reversed the car smack into it. Fortunately the car didn't turn over and the driver was unhurt albeit she was shaken by the experience.The grass slope at the ditch provided a soft landing.

After some calls I managed to get a tow truck to pull the MyVi out of the ditch. Except for some scratches on the front and back fenders the car is relatively intact with no other damages. Neighbours who gathered around the scene were generally sympathetic and helpful. Other bystanders left the scene after they realised that it was just a minor accident. I was thankful that the driver of the toll truck didn't charge me any fees for the service as the toll company is affiliated to the firm where I insure the car.

In the morning I sent the car to my regular workshop for a check up. Other than the alignment problem and the scratches there is no other damage to the car body. Knowing that it could have been more serious I gladly pay the shop RM44 for the wheel realignment and balancing service.

The venerable 110+ year Kwong Fook Temple in Bentong and "Ah Poh" the temple helper

Main entrance

Side entrance

Main table

Devotee praying to the
deities

Joss stick, joss paper,
candle sales counter

"Ah Poh" getting ready

"Ah Poh" advicing
devotee

CNY in Bentong 16/2/2010

The Bentong Kwong Fook, or "Si Yeh Kong" temple as the locals call it is more than 110 years old. Located beside the main road it is strategically located at the entrance to the town and overlooking the meandering Bentong river. The locals claim that this temple is even older than the town itself. Due to its location it is not surprising that the town was founded around the temple by early settlers.

During the week-long CNY festive holidays the local residents visit the temple on the first day to offer prayers to the many deities housed there.

This year my family visited the temple to offer "sip tai sui" prayers to Tai Sui. Tai Sui is a star called the Duke of Jupiter in the Chinese galaxy. Every year people born under certain animal signs conflict with Tai Sui resulting in bad luck and hardship and to mitigate, devotees offer prayers to Tai Sui. My daughter is a tiger person and I am a snake person and according to the Chinese Zodiac, these two signs conflict with Tai Sui.

The prayer rites were quite simple though. We bought some joss sticks, joss papers and candles for a nominal fee. Then together with oranges and some dried vegetables that we brought along for the occasion we went round bowing and planting the lighted joss sticks and candles to appease all the deities . The final deity was Tai Sui when we engaged "Ah Poh" the resident temple helper to chant the prayers.

"Ah Poh", as she is referred to by the temple staff is an elderly lady who I guess is in her 70s. Her job is to act as the intermediary between the devotee and Tai Sui in the chanting of the prayer rites. Many people of our generation don't know how to recite the prayers properly unlike the previous generation so "Ah Poh" with her intimate knowledge of the old ways is much sought after by the devotees.

Although stooping due to old age "Ah Poh" is still amazingly sprightly and nimble on her feet, thus easily putting many young people to shame. I don't know how long she has been working in the temple, but for as long as I can remember each time my family returns to Bentong for the CNY she is always on hand to offer her services. She appears to look the same each year that I see her in the temple as if for her time has completely stood still. However, over the past few CNY years her recitations have gotten shorter and shorter probably her advancing age could be wearing her down a bit.

I don't know her real name, age and background nor have I seen her family members, but from the melancholy look in her eyes she appears to be someone who might have suffered some hardship or bitter experience in her younger days. Accepting her fate stoically, perhaps working in the temple as a helper is a way of taking refuge from her past sufferings. Although "Ah Poh" comes across as a lonely woman with an air of resignation and acceptance of her fate yet in her small and deformed frame she carries herself with surprisingly dignity of one who refuses to give up on life despite the hardship and suffering.

Making ngaku chips

Dear wife is making ngaku or arrowroot chips in the car porch for the CNY. She bought the arrowroot tubers for RM2.88/kg from Tesco.

The starchy ngaku chips taste a bit like potato or tapioca chips and they are one of the many favourite snacks served to the guests during the CNY. The local supermarkets import the produce from China only once a year. It used to be a Chinese-only delicacy but in recent years I have seen many Malay and Indian housewives buying the tubers in bulk for their own consumption.

Making the chips is a time-consuming process. You have to clean, peel and slice the bulbs with a slicer. After that you leave them in the fridge or open to dry before frying in oil.

Painting the front portion of the house for CNY

"It has been a long time since the house was last painted and CNY is just two weeks away," dear wife says as she eyes a row of new houses with their brightly and newly painted facades with envy and admiration.

Due to a recurring bad back problem dear wife has to limit her house work to light chores only. Thus painting the house that requires her to climb up and down the ladder is too stressful for her weak back. I and my grown up son and daughter have full time day jobs to take care of. Thus due to the manpower and time constraint problem we decide it is best to let other people handle the painting instead of DIY like in the past. The painting work will be confined to the metal window and door grilles and the walls at the front portion of the house only . As we will supply the paints and the brushes we will only pay the workers for their labour.

Being the ever resourceful person dear wife asked the few Indonesian workers who is living with their families in the same neighbourhood to quote for the price of the painting work. After negotiating with a few people we decided to engage Hassan to do the work. This person said that he would complete painting the front portion of the house for RM200.00 in two days.