What was going on when I was born?

PERHAPS it has to do with the nature of the holiday: happy and carefree yet just a little wistful. In the mind at least, if not on the calendar, Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer, the last chance to celebrate the season in the sun before the cooler, and busier, days of fall move in. To me, there are dishes that are ideal for this time. They are cold or room-temperature foods that are appropriate for yet another picnic or for situations that call for something more elegant. None are complicated and all can be made in advance, which is a boon to the busy host or hostess. And each one has a special connotation, a longtime association with times past. These are dishes that conjure up pleasant memories of travels abroad or of a Southern childhood. In early youth, my idea of heaven was a trip to New Orleans. These visits, which were rare, occasionally included a stop at Ar-Recipes are on page C8. naud's, a restaurant in the French Quarter. The meals there were unforgettable and the most memorable dish of all was the shrimp remou lade, a fiery and delicious concoction that I would eat slowly and carefully, savoring each mouthful.

International South Africa halted trading on its stock and currency markets as its currency plunged to its lowest level ever. The suspension is in effect until Monday. The extreme step, which is rare in a country with an advanced economy, follows months of increasing capital flight. Since a state of emergency was declared in some areas in July, the rand has lost almost 25 percent of its value. [Page A1.] The Economy The Pentagon, after spending $1.8 billion, halted purchases of the Army's Sergeant York antiaircraft gun. Defense Secretary Weinberger said the weapon, made by Ford Motor, was ''not worth the cost.'' [A1.] While some jobs are likely to be lost, the cancellation is not expected to have much impact on Ford. [A18.]

Few corporate raiders engaged in their first hostile takeover battle would have thought themselves to be more qualified to land their prey than Ronald O. Perelman, Over the last eight years he has built a successful mini-conglomerate, MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc., by borrowing heavily to buy a stable of companies, then putting his own brand of financial wizardry to work on each by selling off just the right assets and squeezing the remainder of the business to produce hefty cash flows. Revlon Inc., Mr. Perelman's current quest, would be his largest acquisition to date and would give him the chance to use his modus operandi to build a major financial empire. But, before he can do so, Mr. Perelman must win a fight that would give pause to even the most experienced of corporate raiders.

The national poverty rate declined last year by nine-tenths of a percentage point, to 14.4 percent, the largest one-year decrease in more than a decade, the Census Bureau reported today. The total number of poor people in the United States declined by 1.8 million, from 35.5 million in 1983 to 33.7 million in 1984, the bureau said. Poverty rates for blacks, for the elderly and for families headed by women all declined, the bureau said. Commenting on the report, President Reagan said: ''I believe these numbers are further proof that the greatest enemy of poverty is the free enterprise system. The success of 1984 does not mean that the battle against poverty in this country is over; it does mean that America, after a difficult decade, is once again headed in the right direction.''

Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee said today that they had been privately discussing ways to reshape President Reagan's tax overhaul plan into a package that would give a bigger tax cut to the middle class and less relief to the wealthy. Among the proposals that are being considered is conversion of the personal exemption to a tax credit, a move that would make this allowance of equal benefit to all taxpayers regardless of income and tax bracket. ''There is a substantial amount of interest in that, at least on the Democratic side,'' said Representative Donald J. Pease, Democrat of Ohio. The discussions are expected to intensify after Congress reconvenes next week as the Democrats make final preparations to begin drafting a bill in committee on Sept. 17. The House leadership has said it hopes to pass a tax bill in October. Senate consideration would follow but could carry over into 1986.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed an administrative complaint yesterday against the Commodities Exchange in New York, the Comex Clearing Association and a variety of individuals in the wake of the collapse last March of the Volume Investors Corporation, a member firm that was put into receivership following a big upsurge in the price of gold. This is the second time in less than a year that the C.F.T.C., the Government agency that regulates commodity trading, has filed a complaint against the Comex. In yesterday's complaint, the commission charged the exchange with failing to enforce its own rules in the Volume Investors matter. The firm collapsed after three professional traders whose trades where handled through Volume Investors found themselves in a short position on the day that gold recorded its largest one-day percentage rise on record.

Revlon Inc., using a defense similar to one that worked for CBS Inc. against an unwanted takeover by Ted Turner, may be on the verge of defeating a nearly $2 billion takeover by Pantry Pride Inc., Wall Street professionals said yesterday. Revlon shares slumped $1.625, to $44.75, near the $44.50 low for the day, with nearly 2.5 million shares changing hands. Revlon's gambit, analysts said, is to create so much debt that Pantry Pride's plan to raise money by selling Revlon-backed junk bonds would fail because investors would regard them as too risky. Sources close to Pantry Pride, however, said it was ''unclear'' whether the junk bond financing would falter. Pantry Pride is reviewing Revlon's papers to see if there is a way to make it still work, these sources said.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1985 International Pretoria halted trading in its stock and currency markets as the South African currency plunged to its lowest level ever. Officials said the suspension was in effect until Monday. The trading suspension - rare in a country with an advanced economy -followed months of increasing capital flight because of rising violence and mounting doubts among foreign investors about the wisdom of maintaining South African investments. [Page A1, Column 6.] South African authorities seized a leading anti-apartheid activist, the Rev. Allan Boesak, a day before he was to lead thousands of protesters in a march to demand the release of a jailed black nationalist, Nelson Mandela. Nonetheless, political activists said the march would proceed today as planned. [A4:1-2.]

Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger today halted purchases of the Army's Sergeant York antiaircraft gun, saying the weapon's performance was ''not worth the additional cost.'' It was the first major new weapon program the Pentagon has killed in the production stage since the 1960's. The Pentagon has spent $1.8 billion on the gun since 1978. Mr. Weinberger said killing the program now would save $3 billion in projected expenses. Some of that money, however, will be spent to seek an alternative way of protecting tank and infantry divisions from hostile aircraft, he said. That might include improvements to existing guns and missiles or a new weapon.

Lorimar Inc., the fast-growing entertainment and advertising company, said today that it intended to acquire up to 15 percent of Warner Communications Inc. The transaction, involving up to 9.1 million of Warner's shares, would be valued at $284.4 million at Warner's current market value. The company's shares climbed $1.50 to close at $31.25 in trading today on the New York Stock Exchange.

''I have decided to terminate the Sergeant York (Divad) Army air defense weapon system.

An article in The Living Section last Wednesday on retail fish markets run by major wholesalers in the New York area gave an incorrect telephone number for the Shell Lobster Company. The correct number is 212-243-3400.