虛驚一場3／莊峻華

 虛驚一場3／莊峻華

上週來，我又開始心魂不守舍，元兒之眼疾，視網膜剝離症，又有惡化痕跡，我們無法再等候，醫生聞後，立即提前召來元兒，我原是樂園老年生活，頓然落入人間疾苦，多愁善感如我，又開始浮現這苦命之孩子，我確實有過三十年，無甚憂慮之家長生活，因為他的身體，尚稱健康，他也是一認命之小孩，讀書讀到大學畢業，一直在超市工作。他說幾日前，手術後之左眼，打入之水泡，已經消失，但似有塊狀物，好像是視網膜剝離又復起，我們全家開始緊張起來，我連忙將今年必領出之退休金領出，準備支付兩次手術費，是否因為他之不必要舉重，已經不重要，先讓醫生鑑定，我要他昨夜開始禁食，以備今日緊急手術，這甚麻煩，此非週末，大醫院正忙碌中，不一定有開刀床。

卡波那斯醫生診所，仍舊是十分忙碌，他從八點開始看病，一次接見三位病患，八位護士幫忙，先是例行視力檢查，元兒都及格，眼壓也正常，輪到醫生眼檢，他有一位專門機要護士，在電腦前隨時記錄，他看了一下，立即說是一切都正常，然後再戴上眼醫眼鏡，手攜放大鏡，要元兒翻動左眼球四處上下，然後元兒指出他眼內之塊狀物，醫生再仔細看一次，又在儀器前掃苗過幾次曰，那是上次雷射傷痕無礙視力，我追問元兒疑惑，是否為視網膜剝離症再生？醫生很肯定回答僅百分之七有可能，並非元兒，我頓時鬆下一口大氣曰，元兒幼年不努力讀書，現在在網誌網路習醫，道聽途說，嚇人嚇己，醫生笑曰，有事來找他，我們相約四週後再見。

下樓梯，連忙電話愛美報喜音，感謝她的上帝，不再怨天尤人，她說免去元兒哥斯達黎加之婚禮旅行，奧斯汀琳兒婚禮，我們兩人均大難不死，理當酬勞自己，有一休假機會，何況此為琳兒招待。我們運氣好，元兒有工作，有健康保險，我們居住在休士頓，剛好武漢肺炎，滯留休市安裝假牙，並未旅行在外，元兒也甚警覺，及時拯救左眼，免於失明，真是虛驚一場。

The early man gets un-ripe melons/Carlos Pueblo

 The early man gets un-ripe melons/Carlos Pueblo

After several days rain, paper covers of three melons outside of a dog cage were fading away. I decided to pick them all to end my first season growing of melons this year. They were not ripe yet I were concerned that squirrels might get them first. The other day, one of the fruits inside the cage was eaten half by a small squirrel that alerted me greatly. I have five harvest this year like before even with additional pots around the cage. Most of the vines stayed away from the cage; therefore, fruits were naked. I do enjoy the growing of plants with green leaves, yellow flowers, and the golden yellow melons inside the cage.

Another group of melon plants are coming out now after he rain. I believe that they are water melons. I understand the season is over yet I still enjoy to transfer them around the small space after cutting down a huge frozen dead tree. The luffa gourd plants are doing very well now and blooming. I know fully that squirrels won't leave them along. I am determined to get their peanuts on the yard first.

I see pineapple plants are doing well after the rain. I know that they can't pass the incoming severe cold winter which is fine with me as long as I can see them growing. I have many amaryllis sprouts coming out this year plus the second year plants 12 of them. These are seeds from the senora's garden that I spray and buried on the ground. I know that I have to waited for seven more years to see the flowers.

捷足先登／莊峻華

 捷足先登／莊峻華

家庭園藝最妙者，為種植瓜果，我非務農者，而且庭院小，滿是草皮，花菜圃僅在樹蔭下慘然而活，況且院土適合聖奧古斯丁草，植瓜原本興趣使然，不擬收穫，我在街道旁，檢拾一佔位之狗籠，充當香瓜保護區，一日籠內一香瓜，為松鼠侵食，十分遺憾，於是加緊防範，廣告信紙信封，層層包住，今晨豪雨等不及，捷足先登，採下三粒黃而未熟果實，準備拔掉瓜藤，瓜季已經結束矣，以待明年春天。

我們吃的香瓜，是韓國品種，超市有售，不若幼年台灣印像中之香瓜，因為採收不易久候之故，西瓜較易控制保存，我將瓜子撒在盆中，過了嚴冬，春雨滋潤，瓜苗冒出，瓜藤碧葉滿沿各處，這是春意映然，然後是黃花，引來蜂蝶，現在天熱，越來越少見蜂蝶到來。

絲瓜較難控制，瓜藤爬到樹稍，等瓜熟枯乾，再勾下當菜瓜婆，松鼠好奇一一咬落，又太老不能食用，非常可惜，香瓜季結束，絲瓜開始開花，天天下雨，瓜株冒然，就像台灣鐵道縱貫線兩旁，偶爾捷足先登松鼠，可炒上一小盤絲瓜。

前後院到處是花生株，此為松鼠務農，我早決定報仇，要捷足先登，待花生花開後，等株黃葉枯，我就一一拔起，以釋我一口鳥氣。

Tell Arthur what is the suffering of the sickness/Carlos Pueblo

 Tell Arthur what is the suffering of the sickness/Carlos Pueblo

Arthur is frustrated when I ask him about his left eye condition. He thinks that the retinal detachment is forming again. Instantly, I complained that he shouldn't carry a heavy security box which he ordered to his bed room up stair. There is a warning not lifting any heavy staff after the surgery. The box is so heavy that Amy helped me to move it from the door step inside. Obviously, he is worry an so am I. 

The current Buddha teaches us that the human life is a kind of suffering. I believe it and I have a full life experience of it. I am short and I never have an opportunity to correct it. I was born poor financially yet I have improved such status gradually. I know that you have had the health issue ever since you were born. We do have had a thirty years peaceful period without a major health problem in you. It is very nice that you have a job with a health insurance coverage and we live in Houston with good medical facility to tackle with the challenge. 

I prepare to make the withdraw of my pension fund, the requirement of minimum distribution, to pay your cost of the procedure. I may have to do it again. Perhaps, I should let you pay for it in order to be more careful to take care of yourself. I am not sure if the issue is related to your lifted weight. I am your father and I love to help you to face your suffering.

This is what I have learned from the Buddhism to stay away from all the suffering and really enjoy my meaningful life. I have a diabetes and a new threat of high blood pressure. I have the morning exercises every day and now I even make a change of my diet as a vegetarian again. I will make my limited life, six and half more years, more meaningful.

Dr. Carvonius will see you on Thursday and you are lucky. If you go blind on your left eye, you still can see with your right eye and still have a life to live. Both you and I are doing our best to deal with our sufering. Your suffering now becomes mine and I have no time to complain about it.

示病苦於元兒／莊峻華

 示病苦於元兒／莊峻華

昨日詢問元兒眼疾狀況，他甚氣餒，懷疑其視眼膜脫離症復發，還好我們在週四晨，與柯莫諾斯醫生有約，說不定需再手術矯正，這是佛說之病苦也，連我都波及，我已經老年，雖然萬事如意，也無畏於血糖高，血壓高，甚至深覺活夠也，但元兒病苦，已令我難過，近代醫學境界，說不定可以釋此病苦，我們都需要有認識有準備，要把握現在，過一有意義之人生。

佛在宏法時，提到色受想行識，其中之色，是可以利用我們生來之感官，眼耳舌鼻心等來接受，是色識，再想識，後為行動，行識可以決定我們有限之人生。元兒生來體弱，異於常人，更需要把握現在，照顧自己之身體。

看到元兒，也令我憶起先父，先父雖無恆產，但有恆心愛護子女，而且是竭盡其力，我也希望如是，幫助子女過一快樂之人生，至少減輕無謂之病苦。

Hot summer in Houston/Carlos Pueblo

 Hot summer in Houston/Carlos Pueblo

Houston summer is very hot and long. I am appreciated with the invention of the air conditioning , as a matter of fact that is why Texas is livable. I am also very happy that I don't have the luxury to work due to my age and lack of the practical professional training. All my concern in life is the severe weather. Every day I stop after my morning exercises and rest for the rest of my day such as taking two naps, watching the You Tube programs, and cooking.

We are invited to play some more tennis after we finish ours at around 8:30 am at out Village West court to Shelley's group at the Walnut Bend courts because two of them like to play every day and can't get four players some time. Patrick and I shall join with them to get additional hour in the start of summer heatway. I would jump into the swimming pool for five laps in order to cool down my boiling blood temperature.

The stock market is hot as well. Biden has his bi-partisan infrastructure deal made. The spending amount is cutting in half and no threat of raise income tax to the national rich individual and corporation. The conservative Republicans and two Democrats are satisfied. There is no reasons why not to have a summer rally. I am happy too that I can save more money this year with my saving of the traveling expenditure due to the Corona Virus Pandemic. I'll give away my money savings to the other three in the family for them to have a better use.

I am still watching Jen Psaki of the White House spoke person to handle the reporters' questions. In the way I shall not be out of touch of the world affairs of course mostly the domestic business. Biden likes to do something as an efficient President and the Republican are jealous and don't know what to do with it. I am OK with myself because I am idle after my morning activities because of the heat way. I stay inside and only combining trips of chores occasionally to buy water melons.

I watch Chinese cooking vlog on the You Tube. I watch Chinese butchers to sell pork meat which I have explained why I am interested in my blog several times. I am watching several vlogs about the rural livings in Viet Nam, China, and Inner Mongolia which fascinate me very much. I am so glad that I have made it in the United States.

Houston winter is also very cold too yet it is brief. I am already looking forward to the passing of the summer for the end of the year. I love to see the weather is cooling down and I can expect a new beginning of the year and perhaps I shall have another exciting year.

夏天真熱／莊峻華

 夏天真熱／莊峻華

夏天真熱，尤其是德州休士頓，不但我覺得熱，連庭院花草都遭熱氣酷刑，僅賴者為夏日陣雨，香瓜籐綠葉已色退，雞冠花株頽萎，也有耐熱生物松鼠紫蘇聖奧古斯丁等冒然。每天，我仍舊安排網球局，現在設法調整七日球局場地，許多老人熱衷此運動，鍛鍊老身。

有一群缺人，因夏日炙熱，所以我們需要一小時球局後，再去馳援一局，回家後已經精疲力竭，看到屋簷水管一部，已積滿落葉，冒出樹苗，甚不雅觀，只好取上鋁梯，爬梯清除，結束一日苦勞。

松鼠捷足先登，狗籠內外香瓜，均難逃其鼠目，我也自我安慰，庭院上無數花生苗，甚至屋簷通水管積葉，均為其所耕種，我將代為收穫，彼此彼此。

除午覺多次外，我欣賞網誌上之影片，有關越南，中國，內蒙等農村生活，讓我連想到幼年農村美憶，我雖成長在鄉鎮，離農村尚有一大段，平常農村生活，多半是影片和閱讀而來，是有憧憬，是有美憶，老年後看網誌，是一享受，而且可以學習烹飪，這位越南姑娘更能幹，捕魚設陷捕蛙，烹調捕獲，昨夜看她築屋等。我也喜歡看豬肉攤，天天看肉價，豬肉是一中國料理食材，非常重要，中國農村烹調重口味，和我們家裏烹煮有異。

網誌上面之節目，我已翻遍無存有趣者，武漢肺炎肆虐後，我已經培養出一套新生活，出外旅行，已非必需，我已經可以在家享受老年生活，無需外出勞累自己，夏日將過去，休市冬日也酷冷，還好有空調冷暖氣。

My insured is moving out of Houston/Carlos Pueblo

 My insured is moving out of Houston/Carlos Pueblo

My insured, Mrs. Chen, is moving out of Houston to Portland, Oregon to be closed with her daughter. She asks me to cancel her flood policy and asks her relator to send me the closing statement for her house. I am so glad to see that she finally gets rid of her house which has been very depressed for generation. I didn't forget to ask her about her IRA investment which I helped her to purchase some twenty plus years ago. She says that she still keeps them and the value top four hundred thousands with initial fifty thousands. I am so happy for her and like very much to share this successful immigrant story for my readers all over the world.

I was with her husband at the building 37 at Johnson Space Center, Clear Lake City campus during the late 70's. He worked for a sub-contractor until his passing away in the late 90's. Before his death, he asked me to place some of his pension fund to a roll over IRA account. Later, she joined in for her own individual IRA account. It was stopped on my part due to my termination of contract with the life insurance company. After her loss of her husband, she kept on working as a sales clerk at a department store at a Mall nearby. I still keeps her flood policy as the service agent. She is the insured whom I still remember to have the mutual funds saving from me not the largest one yet still in my memory. If we use the compound interest theory or the rule of the seventy, we can figure the average return yield is about 10%. It has been double every seven year since her investment.

Her husband is a Ph.D. in either Biology or Biochemistry with a steady job with NASA. Like most of Taiwanese immigrants to the U.S. were at their graduate study in the science and engineering fields. They could keep a white collar position with limited English proficiency. Taking advantage of this opportunity to immigrate to his great nation, they are prevailing and flourishing. She is going to live nearby her physician daughter's family. I believe that she has another daughter as a business executive in San Francisco, California. It is much better off than average native American population.

I must point it out that we do have a good school system in Taiwan built by Japanese Empire, 1895-1945 which is able to produce many professional for the U.S. society to use. She is just one of the successful story.

客戶搬離休士頓／莊峻華

 客戶搬離休士頓／莊峻華

有位老客戶，即將搬離休士頓，投奔居住奧勒岡州波特蘭市，就近醫生女兒家，我認識她家庭，已有四十四年，先是其先夫，在太空中心同一棟建築不同公司，應該是九十年代末，她先生給我一些退休基金和房險生意，這些年來，我們一直有連絡，因為她需要我幫忙取消水險，水險是聯邦之計劃，取消保險需要房屋出售，始得退保退費，需要有買賣交易文件證明，我們談得投機，順便問她當年我售出之退休金近況，曰投資總額五萬餘美金，現值四十餘萬，就是二十餘年時間，我真為她高興，這又是一位成功之移民家庭。

我在該基金之母公司服務十年，當年一位大經理告知此基金本部在佛羅里達州之傑克森衛爾市，公司研究此基金公司經營完善，於是買下此公司，讓此公司管理所有公司之財務投資業務，這是全美幾家大人壽保險公司之巨大資產，公司膽感如此信任，我當代理有何疑問，於是我選其成長基金，專門投資巨大高科技股，我的客戶不算多，壽險和退休基金，幾乎全部是此基金，二十餘年後，耐心等待者，通通翻八倍，通通都是百萬富翁，當然美金是在貶值，但手上有百萬，年紀又大，在美國可以專心身體照顧，安心養老。

有位大客戶，當年全家投資約七十餘萬美金，如堅持下來，八倍應該是五百六十萬，但是我幾年前詢問，她們夫妻有爭執投資，早就全部兌現專投資，還有一位已過世，生前我正恭喜他，他說已轉投資他處，也有幾位仍然堅守當年財務計劃，現在均蒙其益。

這位女客戶，先生病逝前，已經在做生意，後來在家附近大百貨行工作，直到現在才退休，與我同年同月出生，脾氣好又長得美麗，先生是位生物哲學博士，兩位女兒，均已成家立業，她的阿姨也是我的客戶，都是宜蘭縣人，講話有漳州口音，非常有趣，我真為她高興。

My meaningful life with small good deeds/Carlos Pueblo

 My meaningful life with small good deeds/Carlos Pueblo

Once I have learned that a real Buddha is to live in a meaningful life and I decide to define that is consisted with small good deeds. I shall explain two current examples and a fond memory of a joint effort with my late pet dog Charlie. Escorting my son Arthur to any places, arranging a tennis game when needed, and helped a home care nurse to catch a run away dog with my late dog Charlie.

Recently, I have a constant chore to escort my son Arthur to every place where he needs to be un-desired. Arthur is not good at driving on Houston freeways and streets. He can do well only to and from work. I don't mind to drive him around because that I have nothing important to do nowadays. I drove him to his grand jury select duties at the Astrodome several times, I drove him twice to a drug store out side of the city limit to get his vaccine shots. Now, I am driving him to get his retinal detachment fixed. These escorting him around have made me feel good and meaningful, at least I am doing something to satisfy myself as a parent. Parenting is for life not ending at a child's age of 18, 22, or whenever people and the society decide.

I am organizing our daily tennis game now. There are 8 players rotated on seven morning. I am the one to check on the weather and the court condition, to make up the fourth player each time one is not available. Now, I have added three more alternatives into our rotation. One Mandarin group member calls me the leader. In deed I am the one. I also manage the used tennis balls to distribute them to my darling pet dogs friends on the neighborhood. 

One day at the beginning of my long term unemployment, I walked with Charlie at our neighborhood. I saw a small white dog escaped when a homecare nurse answered the door. We decided to pursue the escaped. Finally, Charlie had cornered the little dog at a green lawn between two buildings. I held that sweet thing back home. The nurse was very appreciated with our effort because that she didn't know what to do. I described it to our fellow neighbors when Charlie was still alive and this was how I learned the English words good deeds.

There is only 24 hours a day and my sleeping time is more than 10 hours a day and I don't believe that I have the luxury to keep my bad habit of arguing because that I don't have very much time to last. By doing some good deeds in life makes more fond memory and more peaceful during my late life. I have had more friends including pets. 

樂為善小／莊峻華

 樂為善小／莊峻華

善小惡小典故，出自中國三國劉備，全文莫以善小而不為，莫以惡小而為之，昭烈帝愛子殷切，提示阿斗過一有意義之生活，我們小時候都背頌此句，一直到近代，緣覺於越南釋一行老和尚語，更加篤定，我的老年生活平靜，得益於此莫甚，茲舉兩日常生活為例，幫元兒開車，幫球友安排網球局。

元兒體弱內向，我們堅持他成年後，繼續與我們同住，他可以自己開車附近上班，因為他是小夜班，下午六點到半夜，街道稍緩，若長途複雑行程，開車由我代勞，過去我喜愛旅行，若搭機上機場，我開其車到機場，他開回家，然後開車來機場接我，我賣車險，深知開車於大城市有壓力。最近我記憶中，就有送他上大審團選，注射武漢肺炎疫苗，和眼疾手術等，我因閑來無事，也樂此不疲，深以為樂。

今晨，我需送他看眼壓，手術後遺症，我需告假於球友每日球局，如此不但我中斷每日運動，連帶三位球友，甚無意義，我自去年開始，有計劃有系統，整理出一球友名單，這包括幾圈球友，於是開始調兵遣將，利用手機遞送消息，只要提早告知，我就可以補上四缺一，而且有另一圈需人，也會找我，我也樂於幫忙，就是早球局後，再打一局，我們有兩不同球場可運作，這是一有意義之老年生活。

球友竇醫師開始稱乎我領導，最近邀請球友五對夫妻午餐，並小酌中國四川五糧液，飯局上都是領導長領導短，像是稱呼中國習進平主席，小口飲酒，大口吃肉，連我都需要調整素食日期，而且也喝醉矣，人生難得如此安逸，以無生死之壓抑。

Remember the white plum flower of the Yushima Island/Carlos Pueblo

 Remember the white plum flower of the Yushima Island/Carlos Pueblo

Recently an old photo of our college time in the late 60's has brought back some good memory. Roger Huang of Miaoli, Taiwan likes my writings and gives me some encouragement on my blog. He is a well learned scholar of the nuclear chemistry with a Ph.D. degree from Tokyo University, the old distinguished Tokyo Imperial University. I am writing another fond memory of my visiting of its campus to him as a gift. Yushima Island is the district which the University is seated in the capital city of Japan. There is a famous song called the white plum flower of the Yushima Island , Yushima no shila wumei, published in 1942 that is one of my early favorite of Japanese Enka song music. I have translated the lyric into Chinese based on my Japanese teacher, the late professor Daniel Watanabe's English translation on the class. I was determined to find the temple with the flower, the jade white wall on the boundary of the temple, as well as the Ginkgo grove on the campus. 

I like Japanese Enka very much because the lyric is basically a current style of the poem. We can read this kind of classic literature as a personal hobby. Japanese poets have merged such writings in the Enka and expressed by the performing artist and the musician. It has attracted my attention and I have since learned the language. The character in the song describes how lost he or she is about their ending of love and the separation. Watanabe said it might be a man and not necessary be a woman's sorrow as I guessed. Perhaps it is just a simple separation of a couple after the college graduation and facing the separation. I couldn't find a Buddhist temple with the plum trees and a small jade white wall around it. I did find several shrines with the seasonal chrysanthemum contest shows.

One year in the 80's, Roger came to Houston for his training of the measurement technology. He pointed it out the Ginkgo golden foliage of Auburn campus with the same excitement of Tokyo University campus. I was not at the right time to visit Tokyo and I knew that would take two visits at the proper times to see the plum blossom and the changing color of the tree.

My Japanese neighbor Keoshi Otani became the vice president of Tokyo Tech University until his recent second retirement after his first one with the Nippon Economic News. I always take subway to visit his office at the Ookayama station of the University's Meguro campus. There is a river passing through the township with cherry blossom on both banks. I don't miss the charming sakura each time of my visit.

美憶日本演歌湯島白梅2／莊峻華

 美憶日本演歌湯島白梅2／莊峻華

這幾天我正在美憶，大學時代兩位夫婦客座教授，同時掀起老同學大學回憶，這是老年之精神享受，我連續發表我的感觸在部落格，邀請同學指教，引來苗栗瑞耀兄欣賞，甚為驕傲，蓋瑞耀兄為東京帝大博士，有他之稱許，為人生榮耀也，我現在再補一篇美憶贈送他，為感知遇之恩。湯島白梅是在1942年出版，這湯島就是今日東大校區，很有意思，一年我專訪東大，就是要找校園內之銀杏林，和校外曲中之佛寺玉色垣牆，若世界讀者有興趣，可以在我部落格中，搜尋湯島白梅譯文，應該是2008年版，真正出版在休市台灣鄉訊，日期更早。

我在戰後兩年出生，先父母均為日本帝國國民，1895－1945，對日本感情較深，尤其先母，不識漢字，不語北京語，台語字彙不足，均需日語代替。雙親口述中的日本，非常令人響往，小時候虎尾街上，時有日本歌曲唱機擴放，我認識的日本歌曲較多，而且深入腦海成型。考上師大，先父告知乃台北高等學校也，解釋當年日本帝國學校制度，台北高校畢業生，可以免考進入九帝大就讀，惟東京帝大需考及格。先父津津樂道畢業旅行，台灣總督府，招待北工卒業生旅行日本一週，輪船來回不計，為了追尋該週路線，我搭新幹線，環繞日本多次。

一年瑞耀來美受訓，應該是竹科之度量衡，駕臨寒舍，見奧本校園冬季銀杏曰為東大校花，我特別背下。2001年，我為一保險公司革職，正在無所事事，同鄉會有日語班，渡邊教授家教四位學生，英文翻譯演歌，湯島白梅是其中之一，我甚喜日本演歌之歌詞，均為今體詩也，於是我更加努力學習日文。

我是看到東大銀杏，但未見金黃樹葉，我也漫無目標之閑逛東大週圍社區，看到湯島路標，也看到幾座神社，但未見曲中描述之玉色垣牆佛寺，或是走出佛寺之，本鄉切街，非常遺憾。

我在茶花女街舊鄰，大谷清兄，早稻田高材，自日經退休為東京工業大學副校長多年，東工大就是帝國時代東京高工，和台北高校，台南高工同級，但較出名，我每次到東京，就搭地鐵到大岡山站之目黑校區拜訪他，每去一次就憶起師大，尤其是男生宿舍之乾洗店。

Remember two visiting professors at our chemistry department/Carlos Pueblo

 Remember two visiting professors at our chemistry department/Carlos Pueblo

Our class president, Roger Huang a Ph.D. of the University of Tokyo, posted a photo of two young couple on line for us to identify them. I remember these two visiting professors when I was at the junior class of 1969-1970 at Taiwan Normal University chemistry department. I still have a vivid memory of their first of the visiting professorship during that difficult time of Taiwan lack of proper teachers on each level of the school education. Cynthia and Carl Pfanberger were married and freshly graduated from a land grand Purdue University of Indiana. They were both invited to teach at our department for the physical chemistry and the organic chemistry for one year. I was very excited because that I finally had had an opportunity to take a class from a proper Ph.D. education background professor. Of course, I must admit that there is one with that level of academic degree before them, the lady Dr. Chen Hsia Wang of Bryn Mawr. There are things which I still have had a fond memory of them other than the study and I like to share with my classmates and readers.

I was so excited at that time and I asked our class president to invite the organic scholar to present his research of the borax B free radicals under the distinguish H.C. Brown at Purdue. He accepted our invitation and we made all necessary work to prepare the seminar no matter if we knew or understood the subject. We were fully supporting such academic activity in our dreaming  college life. It was indeed a success. There were two listeners asked questions, one was the chairman of the department Professor Cheng while another one was later on Dr. Ya-Ping Wang of Chicago University, our number one student in the class. Both our class head student Carl Chen and myself were the most excited person at that time. I believed that Chen even put very much effort to get the entire talk material organized.

I also invited Dr. P to present the award to our classmate Ping-Chang Chien for his performance 400 meter contest at our university annual sport meeting. Chien was the national leader of such event and I was very sure that he would win. Dr. P talked about the football and NCAA and I did the translation. I was so excited that I could show my spoken English at that time. Once the lady Dr. P learned it, she liked to have the opportunity to present the award; however, there was no other athlete could possible to defeat the other athlete from the department of the physical education which were national ranking and represented our nation.

I was asked to deliver the paper works to lady Dr. P's parents. It was a large frame tatami house. It was an errand asked from my elder brother Yancy. Her father was his professor at Taiwan University engineering school and Yancy was in the military service away from Taipei. He needed the professor to write the letter of recommendation to apply colleges in the U.S. I saw a charming girl answering the door. Later I was not quite sure if she was our professor coming home for a visit or she did have a younger sister at home.

I was told that both of them came back to the U.S. after that one year tenure to Houston Medical Center. I saw the lady professor on a television news screen while Chinese leader Deng Hsiao-Ping visited Houston. She was the leader to organize the demonstration. It is very nice to bring back my fond memory.

回憶兩位大學客座副教授

 回憶兩位大學客座副教授／莊峻華

大學黃瑞耀兄，在連線上出示相片一張，我立即認出是莊人儀和范凱達兩夫婦客座副教授，時年1969－1970，莊教三甲物理化學，范授二乙有機，並在系中開一自由急進分子選修課，同學中均憶得此課。我甚興奮原因是，彼等為系上首聘客座，范開創英語授課首例，更重要者為兩位男才女貌，溫文儒雅，雖僅教學一年，卻留下甚多美憶，化學真是我人生大嗜好，讓我描述此中因緣，我們班陳治貞班長，曾幫范教授辦一學術講座，對全校公開，我選過莊教授之理論化學，其中兩位課外與學生交往活動，我都非常興趣，而且留下終生美憶。

兩位在印地安娜州普渡大學相識結婚，范是德裔美國人，全名是卡爾范芬伯格，因此莊取其漢名為范凱達，他之師父是著名之布朗教授，硼屬專門，幾乎是諾貝爾獎得主。我因心儀其學識，慫恿治貞兄邀他學術講座，治貞亦喜，於是在106寢室策劃，永昆兄書法壁報，當夜舉班捧場，程祥榮教授和亞平均坐前排並發問，至少有兩位了解自由急進分子之功能和作用，治貞還花時間整理演講資料。我還騷包邀請范在運動會上，頒講給簡平章兄之四百米金牌，莊聞言也表示她也想頒獎，范在頒獎時提到普渡之美式橄欖球。

莊教授之令尊大人，是當年內政部一位司長，兼台大土木系教授，我在二年級時，奉家兄峻嚴指示，攜文件至莊府，是一日式宿舍，應是內政部官邸，有位年輕美女開門，接下文件，就是介紹信，這美女應非莊人儀回國省親，應是其妹也。1977年我投奔休士頓，家兄提到莊教授亦在休市，任職於醫學中心，現在宏義提到明湖城，會是太空中心？結業前一次耳聞樂道姊提到，與亞平姊謝師宴，招待范教授喝粥，范甚驚訝稀飯如此美味。愛麗絲也是美女，大學時我不曾交談過，只能在旁欣賞美女，一舉一動，結業時，我特別查聖經，抄下聖經一句曰，在異域遭難祈望主，我尚得意到現在。

我在電視新聞上看到莊教授一分鐘，當年中國鄧小平來訪休市，莊反共帶領示威抗議，電台記者專訪，仍然美麗如昔。

Growing plants on my yards/Carlos Pueblo

 Growing plants on my yards/Carlos Pueblo

After the rain, I can enjoy watching our plants coming out and doing well. Especially, I like to mention three of my projects lately, growing the amaryllis, the cock's cum, and the fragrant melon from seeds as well as the pineapple plant from the crown head. I wish  I have a two acres yard yet it is alright that the 0.2 acre land is satisfactory for the time being because doing yard work is only a small part of my daily activity. I can't live too far away from the city center and tennis facility.

Last year, I started to dust the corn flake type of amaryllis seeds on the ground. There are more than a dozen young plants coming out and surviving the severe cold week in February this year. They are doing very well yet I must wait seven years to see the first blossom. No problem, I can still enjoy my old plants from the old house and walk by the Senora's garden where I get the seeds from. She has a charming front garden on her front yard. This year, I ask her permission to gather more seeds and has buried them under  pots and available space before the heavy rains. New plants have already shoot out. I have already thank to Kim and her husband to teach the proper way to grow the flower from the seed. She spent $25 a plant for her front yard and got the idea from me to grown it with her own seeds. She is the neighbor giving me the cock's cum plants and now I have some second generation plants moved to Michelle's house in Austin, Texas.

I am getting better and better to grow the fragrant melon on big pots with a dog cage which I gathered from the neighbor's trash. There were 4 fruits last year. This year I can only hide two inside and many stay out side the cage. I am not sure squirrels will leave them alone. It is fine with me that I only enjoy to see the growing of the melons.

We eat pineapples all the time. I save the cut of the head and grow them on the back yard. Squirrels and possums will dig them out and I always bury them back and water them. Pineapples don't survive during the frozen weather and I have to do the growing again this year.

蒔花／莊峻華

 蒔花／莊峻華

大雨一週後，庭院花草復甦，我發現後院菜圃，冒出許多喇叭花幼苗，我想這是今年新法種植之成果，去年我播撒上千花子，僅十餘株喇叭花苗冒出，女鄰居教導埋植於盆，於是我再拾花實，填土於小盆中，今年秋殘日，我可以移植一些到奧斯汀琳兒庭院，我肯定她能等到花開日。

我的香瓜亦甚茂盛，集中在車庫前三大盆中，我讓瓜藤曼延於拾來狗籠內外，已經結果，我甚習慣無法收穫，蓋我不願澆水，澆水也無法避免松鼠干擾，想吃香瓜，東方超市購買去。愛美移分多種草本花草，大雨後亭亭玉立，開花美觀。

我有太多時間，清晨散步網球游泳後，就是一日之任務終結，我可以隨意午睡，作文舒情，走出室外，觀賞花草樹木，是有些壓抑情事，像是高血壓，等候假牙，元兒眼疾，甚至安排球局，四缺一或是雨停等，股市起伏，我尚居人間，仍有喜怒哀樂。

Still waiting for my denture/Carlos Pueblo

 Still waiting for my denture/Carlos Pueblo

More than one and half months before, I have started my installation of my new denture in order to replace my old sets. Almost every other week, I must go to the dentist's office to do some preparations such as the extraction of loose teeth, making molds and re-adjustments, and  mostly the waiting for the mail in and out to a laboratory in California. I suspect that the demand is not high enough in Houston to have a local laboratory to meet the market demand. At the same time, I am still managing to use my old sets to do the daily intake of foods.

I try to imagine how my dentist to structure my new sets. He uses fake teeth to fill holes on my teeth beds two of them up and down. My old sets are more like the construction of bridges with the metal as the skeleton and support of the frame to hold every one tooth lost. There are holes made to hold on to my healthy teeth between that make very much sense of the structure engineering. I have checked a model every time I check out of the dentist's office, yet I still can't imagine how my new sets will do the job. New sets are all plastic not metal frame.

I select the denture instead of the in plant because of the cost difference and also that I do have knowledge about the fake teeth installation. My cousin, Dr. Chen of Taipei, Taiwan, has installed my first sets of fake teeth in Taipei in 2013 and are still very strong and sound except I have had additional teeth fallen. His father is my mother's elder brother. While I was staying at their home between 1963-1966, I saw his technician working on the denture hardware on the ground behind his dental clinic. He could come back and forth to check with his technician to adjust the crown, bridge, and the denture, etc. Last time, my visit to his son's clinic was much easier and smoother than now I am in Houston. They are three generation of dentists in their family.

Nurses in the dentist clinic in Houston have measure my blood pressure and found out my new issue with it. My blood pressure is high now at the brink of high blood pressure, the second high of my body other than the diabetes, blood sugar. I am so disappointed and frustrated. Health issues are coming on me as along as I am getting old and I have also need to worry my son's health issue. I am suffering on aging like the current Buddha describes.

等候假牙／莊峻華

 等候假牙／莊峻華

牙醫診所有電話來曰，包裹已達，要我今午後三時門診，我道是假牙已達，結果不是，仍舊是草稿，再量一次，複送到加州實驗室，比我想像中多一步驟，就是多一趟加州來回，兩個半星期，製作和郵寄。

我的牙齒脫落，已經到無法容忍的地步，又是武漢肺炎，台灣回不得，所以只有當地解決困難，美國假牙選擇，顯然沒有台北市普遍，可能是美國人從小保護牙齒，注意牙齒健康，另外是植牙，但植牙僅能植一兩棵，多者一般人負擔不起，我甚納悶，何以大休士頓區，六百萬人口，無法擁有一假牙製作實驗室？

幸運者為我之等候假牙，完全在家裏，無需投宿台北旅店，也省去旅途奔波，無需落地禁閉三週，等候假牙，不算辛苦，也是解決老年病患之一大宗也。

牙診護士量體溫血壓，發現我血壓偏高，現在我已經邁入二高，血糖高和血壓高，從今日起，我要恢護素食，甚至減少食蛋牛奶量，再會牛排。

The function of the health insurance/Carlos Pueblo

 The function of the health insurance/Carlos Pueblo

The function of the health insurance can be noted the most while we must see a doctor in the emergency such as in the case of my son Arthur's retinal detachment. We couldn't see his regular eye doctor because he was booked for the entire week. His company booked Arthur to his colleague to take a look. Arthur didn't have the correct year's health identification card; therefore, we were stocked at the front desk for two hours to get the correct copy updated. Once we saw the physician and referred to another specialist by this physician's office, it is like a breeze on and on to see another specialist out of the network and another out of network hospital. We can't argue to the cost of the co-payment in such life and death case. I am very appreciated that Arthur has a job with health insurance coverage which comes to be very handy for our family.

He has had a birth defect called the Stickler's syndrome. My job's health insurance covered most of his life and death procedures such as removals of his tracheotomy three times, the plastic surgery of his  cleft palate, and many other medical needs before his age of six. After 2001, I lost my job and couldn't keep two jobs with the benefit of the health insurance. He was naked without coverage until his graduation from the college. I was not sure if I asked him to carry the basic coverage from the school, anyway, I was lucky that he was alright.

I don't believe that the $300 a week additional unemployment benefit is an issue and I don't believe the government has very much burden of it. That amount is only symbolizing a kind care from the government and can't go very far. I don't believe the Obamacare  can help too much for a person with asset either. Only when we work and only when we have had a valid health insurance especially a group health insurance to satisfy the Obamacare.

I am taking my requirement minimum distribution out now to pay Arthur's co-payment for this emergency surgery. I save regularly and I am prepared for such circumstances. His health insurance has done the most already.

急診用上健康保險／莊峻華

 急診用上健康保險／莊峻華

生活在美國，健康保險是一大負擔，尤其是個人健康保險，這次元兒眼疾，情況危急，用到急診，急診手術等，處處觸目驚心，讓我深深體會到保險之重要。首先，我們找不到平常眼醫掛號，因為他甚忙，一週門診已滿，還好其公司安排另位醫生，但在此醫生診所，因掛號對保險，耽誤一些時間，眼醫診所，十分忙碌，沒有健保，醫生不敢看病人，怕拿不到診斷治療費。

我們到專科眼醫處，診所更加忙碌，幾無空檔，診所有十位護士秘書，醫生也是團團轉，病戶都是重眼疾，然後安排另一位專科眼醫開刀，開刀房在大醫院之急診室開始，到開刀房，這醫院是世界級，不在元兒保險網內，因此我們需要多交多餘費用，因為事急，所以無暇思索，先開刀再講。

保險網內之自備費用，較為節省，網外就多百分之二十以上，美國醫藥費用昂貴，因為這是專業，而且我們是病人，有求於此醫藥專業，幸好元兒有健康保險，否則連醫生都看不上，美國有三千萬人口，沒有健康保險，美國一直無法有全民健保，我現在稍微了解為何緣故，美國保守派不主張，全民健保，不讓有限仁醫，為廣範大眾病戶纏身，緊急病患無救。

我最近也有醫藥需求，是假牙，因為老人健保增加一些牙險，所以我去詢問裝置假牙價格，和回台灣安裝比價，現在回台機票昂貴，再加上武漢肺炎隔離費用，我只好在休市裝假牙，牙醫給我一些折扣，雖是稍貴於台灣，但加上機票雜費和時間，自費安置也合算。

Miracle hands of a surgeon/Carlos Pueblo

 Miracle hands of a surgeon/Carlos Pueblo

Just two days before, I have witness a successful procedure of an eye surgery for my son Arthur. I call the miracle hands of a surgeon who has prevent him from the blindness. I have learned a lot ever since he was born almost 37 years before. He came to the world with a severe Stickler's syndrome birth defect. He couldn't breath when he was born, no cry and his body was in dark color because his wind pipe collapsed when he breathed. A surgeon inserted a tube from his neck to his lungs called the tracheotomy. He also had a cleft palate inside his mouth; therefore, he couldn't take food either  and relied a NG tube to take the liquid fluid formula and milk. Both di-efficiency and others were corrected by surgeons before his age of six. He had had no major health issues or surgery requirement since then until two cataract procedures in the past three years. We suspect that early age cataract surgery is related to his syndrome.

The doctors at Texas Children Hospital identified his syndrome by his cleft palate and treated him as a baby with respiratory difficulty. First, there was an ENT surgeon had attempted twice to remove a small piece of rip to strengthen his wind pipe and twice he failed. We didn't dare let him do it again on the third time. Finally, we were lucky to receive a recommendation to Dr. Rubin Cotton at the Cincinnati Children. He made it and removed the tracheotomy and closed the hole on the neck in 1991, right at the short conflict of the first Gulf War with Iraq.

There was a dentist specialist in plastic surgery who was successfully corrected the palate and healed the crack; therefore, he could start to take solid food. He was at Bendwood School for disable kids. His class teacher was amazed how much progress that he made and asked us to referred another unfortunate girl at the class to that plastic surgeon for her outside cleft palate. I still remember vividly now how disappointed I was to hear that the surgeon told me that her case was so solution at that time of the medical technology.

The other day, he told me that he had a retinal detachment according to his research on the You Tube vlog, a one eye blind girl with a Stickler Syndrome. We rushed to have an appointment with his regular eye surgeon who did both his eyes cataract procedures. The doctor was booked for the entire week; therefore, the eyes associates referred him to another eye doctor. This physician couldn't find anything yet referred his to a retina specialist, Dr. Andrew Kopel who came in to rescue me from my left eye cataract procedure. He couldn't tell the detachment either on the first visit yet recommended to have another appointment in three weeks. Arthur couldn't wait that long, on the second week there was an emergency situation. The black spot was getting larger. After careful looking and taking photos, he referred us to his old classmate, Dr. Petros Carvounis at the medical center area for the emergency surgery on the next day, a Saturday. I am so appreciated that through his kindness and our luck, we got it done successfully on that day. 

妙手回春／莊峻華

 妙手回春／莊峻華

昨日帶元兒門診，這是緊急掛號，由我的專科眼醫安排，隔日週六到德州醫學中心，求助另一視網膜專科，準備緊急開刀，因為眼球水液，已經逼近黃斑體，元兒左眼即將失明，眼科曰視網膜脫離，若不緊張者，眼睛失明，都茫然無知，我已經許多年，未曾如此緊張過，我之左眼白內障手術失敗，眼醫立即送我到一專科眼醫，再度手術，渡過難關，所以新眼醫觀看我左眼均曰，有視網膜脫離，我因為及時更正，故未知其厲害，這次元兒病情，始令我稍了解眼疾始末，我的專科眼醫，和他的專科眼醫，都是中文裏曰妙手回春者也。

這是36年半前的往事矣，元兒不幸，出生窒息體弱，有德州首例史提格勒併發症，呼吸仰賴塑膠管，從喉嚨插入到肺部，當時有位台灣護士留學生曰，漢譯為人工造瘻術，眼耳鼻科醫生，想辦法從胸排肋骨，取出一小片，貼在支氣管上，以求強化䡗固這天生崩潰之支氣管，德州兒童醫院兩次手術失敗後，我們好運得到一位英國仁醫瓊斯大夫，推薦到辛辛那提兒童醫院之，盧賓卡頓醫生，他一舉將插管拔除，封上頸洞，使元兒能自然鼻肺呼吸，這是妙手回春一大例。

併發症病例之一，就是兎唇，這也是德兒醫生查出之病名，他們就跟據呼吸困難，來治療元兒，元兒另外一大困難是內兎唇，就是舌頭向上，阻擋上額之癒合，生下來就如此，因此無法吞食，每口進食，就從上額漏出鼻孔，因此需要插鼻管通胃餵食，德兒專門，有專門護士進住寒舍，愛美也接受訓練，她在台灣當過護士，後來終於遇到一位牙科整型大夫，將上額縫合，當時元兒在邊林學校，級任發現元兒進步，要求我們推薦這位仁醫，治療另一位班上外兎唇小女孩，我問醫生可否介入，他們都在醫學中心，處理疑難怪症，不知是已經是他的病人，他說他很清礎病例，與元兒不同，而且是當時無法挽救，我到現在仍舊清礎回憶，手術成功後，元兒開始能口食，當年岳母大人來幫忙，熬豬大骨麥片粥，讓元兒食用。

這是1991年，首次伊拉克戰爭後，我們照顧元兒，喘了一口氣，然後元兒順利完成學業，休大畢業後，在超市當收銀店員，一直健康愉快，直到這次三日驚嚇，還好遇見這位妙手回春之仁醫，此醫生是希臘裔美國人，第三代專科眼醫，劍橋醫預，牛津醫科，在貝勒專科與我的專科眼醫同學，除開業外，尚是貝勒之臨床教授，我提起併發症，引起群醫好奇，也因此替元兒解圍。

我邀請元兒，在我部落格寫作文，他已送出首篇，我這三十多年，出版很多回憶他的病情，在鄉訊和幾張台灣人報紙，有些有保存，均是美憶。

Arthur's surgical procedure of his retinal detachment/Carlos Pueblo

 Arthur's surgical procedure of his retinal detachment/Carlos Pueblo

For the last four days, we have been very busy to manage Arthur's surgical procedure of his retinal detachment. I have invited him to write about his ordeal on this blog and now I like to describe the same from my part as his parent. What I like to describe about are the help as parents in this case, the insurance prospects, and dealing with the medical field issues.

Arthur has been like a normal kid after his six years of age without any severe medical attention. About three years ago at his age 33, he had had his right eye cataract procedure, and his left eye procedure at age 35. Both procedures were successful without incident even though he was very young for such procedure. After 14 months from the later procedure, he has discovered that he has a retinal detachment on his left eye. We think that may be due to the result of a genetic default because that my left eye also had a detachment right after my left eye cataract procedure. I had to have another surgeon to  repeat the procedure. My eyes are doing great after the three procedures and I do have a detachment on the left eye. We keep him at home in order to take care for him and I know how much the medical attention will cost me. Luckily he works with a company which provides the health insurance for the employees.

He attempted to see his cataract procedure surgeon to take a look yet he was booked for the entire week. Then the provider's firm sent him to another physician to take a look. The new physician couldn't tell the problem yet referred to my eye surgeon, the one who came to rescue me last time. He couldn't identify Arthur's detachment either yet asked him to come back in three weeks. On the second week, Arthur's condition was getting worse and he managed to get the same specialist's attention to get an emergency appointment. After careful examination, he referred Arthur to his fellow retina specialist near the Texas Medical Center for an emergency surgery on the next day. He is lucky that he gets this eyes surgeon on Saturday and entered the Methodist Hospital on that day as an emergency case and got the procedure done all within three days.

I can't care too much about insurance net works or not. The final surgeon's office and the hospital both take him as a patient and I know that I have to prepare his part of the payment. I am alright with such payment. The money pain is like a breeze that his blindness in the future. Now, I am more appreciated of the current health insurance system in the U.S. I can tell the difference if this urgent need of medical attention occurred in Canada or in the United Kingdom, etc. I wonder if Arthur and we as his parents can get a peace of mind. He might not get the quick attention.

My experience with Retinal Detachment

 My father has invited me to write in his blog about retinal detachment. 

So what were my symptoms of retinal detachment? Initially I had a burst of floater activity in my left eye. But they weren't your everday common floaters, they were like small black specs that reminded me of mosquitos floating freely around my eye. Next I had several flashes of the light in the corner of my left eye, the left corner to be exact. This occurred usually when I would look to the right. These flashes are hard to describe, it was as if my eye were taking in some trauma, you know when you get poked in the eye and you close your eyes and you see some momentary burst of activity? That's what it was like.

There are other kinds of flashes of light I also noticed. Chiefly there would be quick flashes that looked like tiny electric bolts around the left corner of my eye. There was also something else in the corner of the eye. sometimes it appeared to be small black dot, and others it was a flashing dot. After these events I went to an eye doctor to get a diagnosis. Of course  before this I went on youtube and researched if this were indeed the worst case scenario, which is obviously the retinal detachment. In any case the eye doctor who was available could not find any damage to my retina but as a precaution he sent me over to a retinal specialist. This retinal specialist also was unable to find any tear or damage to my left eye's retina so I was relieved at the time.

In the following week it appeared that their initial diagnosis was correct. My symptoms faded away and I was seemingly back to normal. Unfortunately a week later I had yet another burst of floater activity. This time there were even more black specks that entered my purview. And even more frightening the black dot had returned and it appeared to have grown. I also noticed that when I moved my left eye to look at something towards the right, the black dot stretched, like it was some sort of torn muscular tendon, It was all black of course but it is something to note.

The progression this time was much more quicker. What I was looking at was the retinal detaching. This time when I went back to the retinal specialist he was able to see it as well. It is my belief that perhaps my retina appear to be fine in the two weeks prior and it had only begun to detach much later on. There is something else to note. When the detachment was exposed directly to bright light or sunlight for that matter, it appeared like a clear transparent water balloon. This was made much more clearer once my pupils were dilated. My assumption is I was looking directly at the detachment itself. Thankfully I was able to get surgery done on the eye, but I have yet to remove my eye patch so I'm unsure what state of vision my left eye currently has.

元兒眼疾／莊峻華

 元兒眼疾／莊峻華

幾週來，元兒左眼有疾，找不到原眼醫，只好求診其同事，同事看不出毛病，推薦到我的眼醫，卡佩爾醫生，第一次也診斷不出毛病，要三週後再來門診，眼疾惡化，今天急診，卡佩爾醫生，再推薦一位同行同學，準備明晨手術，我了解這是視網膜脫離症，就是眼睛似有黑洞，越擴越大，醫生曰我也有此毛病，上次矯正過，元兒查谷歌曰，是白內障手術之瑕疵處，我們準備手術。

元兒一生身體坎坷，一直到六歲，始能自然呼吸，但已無聲帶，聲音沙啞，算是一殘障人，但他有毅力，完成大學畢業，在超市當店員十五年，我們將他留在家裏，就是増加一雙竹筷而已。他也身體健康，就是有深度近視，後來發現視青年白內障，我是在四十九歲右眼手術白內障，他更早是三十許。

還好他有工作，有健康保險，隨需要可看醫生，手術費用自備款也能負擔，我只期待手術順利，恢復正常生活。

The pandemic in Texas/Carlos Pueblo

 The pandemic in Texas/Carlos Pueblo

The pandemic in Taiwan and the up roaring of the criticism of the Taiwanese government has caught my attention. Yesterday, I posted an article about the pandemic in Texas in compare to the pandemic in Taiwan. Luck me, after that post, I read a piece of information from my College classmates line and another piece of Associate Press news about a Japanese Airline cargo plane landed at Tao-Yuan International airport with 1.25 million doses of Astra Zenica Japan vaccine to help the emergency needs of Taiwan. AP has another piece of news last night about the Chinese effort to vaccinate its own population recently. Suddenly, I understand more about the pandemic picture.

Texas is about 19 times of the size of Taiwan, with a population of a near of 30 million while Taiwan is about 24 million. Texas has a near of 3 million patients infected by this Wuhan Corona Virus disease so far, yet Taiwan has less than 10,000 infected. Texas has 51,515 casualties while Taiwan has less than 500 death so far. In the case of Taiwan, the nation is not severe as Taiwanese media think in compare with our governor Abbot as well as most of the Texan think. There are several reasons why for the difference. Taiwanese government and citizen are more alert with the experience of the SARS in 2003 while Texans have no such experience other than the hurricane and floods even with the advantage of the space. If you understand, there is no need to criticize that much with the Lady President Tsai of Taiwan.

Japan used to be the ruler of Taiwan, 1895-1945 and Taiwan used to be a part of Japanese Empire. Japanese government use a very skillful political maneuver to ship the AZ vaccine to Taiwan. The vaccine is manufactured in Japan under a contract with the British developer. Japan has no current plan to use the vaccine according to the AP. Japan has procured the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines to use for the time being and also has its own development like Taiwan. It is exactly like the AZ US 4 million doses loaned to Mexico and Canada earlier this year. The U.S. has no current use of such vaccine; therefore, they are loans and both nations must pay back in order to satisfy the US budget requirement. I believe that the Japanese AZ is a donation like Taiwanese donate funds to help Japanese earthquake and sunami.

I also read another AP piece news about Chinese roll out of vaccination plan in China. As a matter of the fact, I have watched an You Tube vlog about the final day of 3,000 shots at a town in the Inner Mongolia. The AP report has a much large number of shots, 300 millions for the present. You can't imagine the Chinese regime's number as a matter of the fact. I always wonder how the Chinese propaganda works for the brag about their mission of vaccine distribution around the world. Some White House reporters did ask Biden's opinion about it via Jen Psaki.

 

德州疫情／莊峻華

 德州疫情／莊峻華

德州感然武漢肺炎者近三百萬人，因該感染而死亡者五萬一千五百七十五人，每天我都有艾美之報告，每天她都看紐約州長柯莫之武肺新聞報告，然後我交換台萬武肺竄起之資料給她參考，德州人口約三千萬，幅員將今台灣之十九倍大，因此，我只能安慰自己，在休市較易防守隔離，因為我可以長時躲在家裏，運氣好者，美國政府緊逼藥廠，做出三種疫苗，全力提供全民注射，有十二州人口達到拜登七月四日之目標，我們德州尚在努力，就是在七月四日可以在後院烤肉，邀請家人共餐，我們仍舊是相當可憐，我出門仍戴口罩，以防萬一，也抗議忽略公共衛生，堅拒疫苗注射者。

拜登已經開始釋放多餘庫存三種疫苗給外國，並且鼓勵三藥廠，全力以赴，全力生產，六月底前將贈送八千萬劑，給最需要之國，經國聯合國和美國，不求恩惠回報，台灣國民黨中國人，不要苛責蔡英文，有人性者均知台灣疫情，比起世界各國，不算嚴重。

我是自私自利者也，先保護自己，改變日常生活，不再世界旅行，早上運動鍛鍊身體，蒔花植果，欣賞園藝，早睡早起，觀賞烹飪，捕魚，豬肉販等網路影片，我相信科學家，很快就可以控制局面。

In memory of Dr. Dong-Shang Wu, Ph.D. Lu Kong, Taiwan 1940-2021

 In memory of Dr. Dong-Shang Wu, Ph.D. Lu Kong, Taiwan 1940-2021

The death of Dr. Dong-Shang Wu was announced by his brother Lien-Shang on the monthly magazine of Taiwanese Heritage Foundation of Houston. I got to know him when I moved to Houston, Texas in 1977. He was an editor and  publisher of a community magazine, the Mayflower of Taiwan. I wrote my pieces every month during that period of time. I have admired his effort very much for my life. He is also a good friend of my elder brother Yancy. The magazine was a publication of Taiwanese dissidents in the U.S. against the dictatorial rule in Taiwan. 

His name as a victim of the oppressed Nationalist Chinese regime in Taiwan was missed by me due to his absence of the community activities at that time. I had gathered about 47 of such victim in Houston area who were suffering of the visa denial by that regime. According to the announcement article, he did get the returning visa yet his family at Lu-Kong was harassed often while he was back that visit in 1982.

He has a distinguish and complete academic education, a B.S. in civil engineering from Cheng-Kung University, a M.S. from the Duke University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He used to work with the Brown and Root for years.

All his younger brothers and sister are very kind to me as a matter of the fact. Yet I still remember one time we are invited to a family dinner with his sister Grace. We had had a vivid conversation with him and I knew that he was also very found of the local Taiwanese music for the local religious ceremony in addition to his favorite European classical music. I believe that he loves Taiwan very much.

We did see that he was with a beautiful date at a Taiwanese restaurant in the 80's. I thought that was a very good match couple, yet he was still not married. I did call him to solicit the property insurance business for his rental houses back to the early 90's when I was terminated by first  insurance company. He was very nice to return my phone call and I appreciated very much.

I respect people like him with the justice in his mind all his life. You know that his effort to be the editor of the Mayflower magazine in the 70's gains my life time respect.

悼念鹿港吳公諱東山兄／莊峻華

 悼念鹿港吳公諱東山兄／莊峻華

今晨開信電郵，聞鹿港吳公東山兄仙逝，享年八十一，心中感慨，我與公相識於休市，時年1977，公業餘主編邊望春風雜誌，我曾在此雜誌投稿，固心儀公之為人正義正直，後公淡出台灣同鄉會活動，常不知其所蹤，漏列於我之八十年代，休市出土黑名單，為國民黨中國人，迫害台灣同鄉返鄉簽證之實例史也。

我與公家人甚善，論其弟妹，若美惠姊，連山文山兩兄，均熱衷鄉社業務，盡心盡力，令人欽佩，有次應昆聯兄嫂邀，家庭飯局，至今尚能回憶，不僅欣賞歐美古點音樂，亦好台灣本土鼓鑼銅板聲，蓋公喜愛台灣也。

公家人均男才女貌，人長英俊，相貌非凡，有顯嚇學資歷，是一極佳之配偶人才，一日在梁世昌師台灣飯館巧遇，公攜一美女為伴，我道是男才女貌，天作之合，然多年後，仍聞單身。

公善投資租屋，為我房險對象，一年我為公司開除契約，轉任他職，繼續營業，尋找業務對象，每思起公之租屋保險，電話留言，公甚善回話，雖未事成，然我心甚為感激也。

嗟乎，君子交若萍水相逢，雖近亦遠，雖疏且密，斯年代也，我觀乎公之自反而縮，為正義奔走，讀書人之氣節也，子曰君子嫉末世而名不稱焉，因為公悼。

The squirrel farmer/Carlos Pueblo

 The squirrel farmer/Carlos Pueblo

There are plants coming out on our yards front and back such as the peanut and the corn. I try very hard to avoid mowing them down. I was from the village when I was a boy. I can identify them as the crop for food. It is because my neighbor feeds the birds and squirrels on his back yard constantly. Birds with different colors have appeared regularly after their meals and fly away. The squirrel is very busy to hide its catch everywhere. Amy reminds me after seeing the squirrel's digging on my small pots for my seeds growing of the amaryllis. I wonder why the squirrel can get from my flake like seeds. After the rain, there are two peanut sprouts coming out of pots. The squirrel knows how to hide its food yet there are too many and it can't figure out exactly where they all are. Mike will feed them regularly anyway.

Once they come out to get my fruits, they are nomadic.. They like my fragrant melons and the luffa. Some time they will also bother my tangerine as well. It won't bother me any loner because they are fighting for their survival like me when I became an adult and married. I have my interest of growing something limited to enjoy looking to plants and flowers like the St. Augustine lawn like the young rice field. I wait patiently for my growing the amaryllis from seeds to plants.

This is the theory of the co-existence of the nature. I understand the nature. The squirrel is like a farmer in my view. I can't say that I like them yet I must acknowledge their existence and their right to dig my pots and harvest my produce. One time I hired some one cut down a huge fallen tree and found out they lived inside the decayed hole at the bottom. I would rather to watch them than read or watch those miserable news in the politic.