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。