Dogs sitting/Carlos Pueblo

 Dogs sitting/Carlos Pueblo

Dogs sitting has become a new chore of mine. Michelle wants to be on vacation and asks Amy to take care of dogs while they are away. I love dogs; however, the reasons why I don't dare to keep one for myself are that taking care of a dog is like to take care of a kid. Whenever I see a loose dog wondering around the neighborhood, I think of the abandonment of the owner. It is very sad.

There was only one time I had a dog, Charlie, at home. Charlie lives up to 16 1/2 years old. I have developed a very kin relationship with pet dogs ever since. I can tell when a dog is paying attention to me every where I go in the world. I can easily chat with local residents about their dogs. I think of dogs as children or grand children of mine.

Brinkley and Honey are two rescued dogs as well. They both behave very well better than most of the kids whom I know of. According their habit, I must sleep right by them at night because Brinkley feels insecure to sleep at night by himself. He likes to have a company. This is fine with me that I always wake up during the night to go to the toilet and I can release them to the back yard and let them in again to meet their needs as well.

Amy will feed them breakfast and takes them to walk in the neighborhood for thirty minutes. After I come back from my morning tennis, they will accompany me for my morning nap. As a matter of fact, they take several naps during the day. I shall accompany them to the back yard to enjoy the nice unusual worm winter this year in Houston.

It is my turn to take them to walk in the afternoon and also with 30 minutes limit. Michelle won't allow me to march them any longer because of their age. I doubt it very much and I am firmly believe that they can walk and like to walk more. I bring them to meet four of my beloved neighbors' dogs. Brinkley is very friendly yet Honey doesn't care.

Michelle asks me to do more for them to have more vacation and design to get Amy to go with them. She asks me if I can take care of these two in August. I flatly reject the idea and ask her to hire some dogs sitters to do the job.

愛犬來客／莊峻華

 愛犬來客／莊峻華

年底琳兒攜兩愛犬，來家作客，就是要我們幫忙照顧，好讓她們到墨西哥休假，我也不敢有異議，我們家愛貓羞怯，只好安置在樓上起息，愛美準備事後洗地毯，其實此兩愛犬，非常規矩，不搗蛋也不作怪，我們照顧他們多次，習慣他們作息，不久前來我們家過一次，我一直喜歡操練愛犬行軍，這次有交待，一次僅散步半小時，早上愛美帶，下午輪到我，剛好我可以恢復一些舊日散步活動。

她們家一愛犬睡覺，需要有人伴，否則會害怕，因次我就睡在午睡沙發上，一愛犬睡其小床，另外一愛犬睡我們臥室門口，半夜我需要起床如廁，剛好釋放他倆外出，若有急需，他們會來沙發提醒我，一切均甚規律。平常不許可他們上樓打攪愛貓，但他們好奇我上樓，不知究竟，跳過兩旅行冰箱阻礙，上來二樓，於是我就斥責，手指下去，他們也甚識趣，不敢違背。

有訓練之愛犬，就像孫輩一般的可愛，我因為喜歡旅行，而且有愛親別離之痛苦，我忠告琳兒要小心，但這並非她的意思，我們都是盡力幫忙而已，上次來訪有三愛犬，回去後一愛犬癌症過世，我也難過許久，琳兒她們也煩，要我們收養此二愛犬，我說我都需要人來照顧，如能照顧此二愛犬？

Facing Wuhan corona virus pandemic 2021/Carlos Pueblo

 Facing Wuhan corona virus pandemic 2021/Carlos Pueblo

Even at the end of 2021, I am still facing Wuhan corona virus pandemic daily, very real and true. Yesterday morning my tennis partner came in with a caution of his Covid 19 infection. We all wore masks immediately and regret very much that he didn't post his own quarantine for 14 days. After one set, we were dismissed and I myself declared my own 14 days quarantine. No tennis for two weeks. I asked him how he got infected. He said that was from his wife church going. Amy's church has been closed two weeks before Christmas due to the infection of their pastor and his wife. They all took tests proved to be negative. It is a precaution and the knowledge of the public health.

When Lady, Michelle's neighbor's pet came out to greet me for visiting. Her owner Nina stood far away and mentioned that she got infected. I pulled out of my two layers masks immediately. It is so inconvenient with the pandemic. I am very disappointment that cruise liners get so many of their passengers infected on the news. I am worry about the job situation of my 400 plus adopted daughters who are gradually coming back to work on the ships.

Instead of playing tennis in the morning, I am going to walk with Michelle's two dogs for the next four days. They will be here today in the afternoon for us to baby sitting while they go to Mexico on vacation. I shall go back to march in the morning like before playing tennis. It is not all bad as a matter of the fact I am saving money by my isolation during this unfortunate pandemic.

接近武漢肺炎案例／莊峻華

 接近武漢肺炎案例／莊峻華

武漢肺炎肆虐兩年餘，最近開始逼近我們家，先是愛美教會牧師夫婦感染，兩人都打過三針，今晨打球，我的夥伴感染，想來也是教會感染，我們連忙戴口罩打球，草草打滿一局，然後連忙回家隔離，不是小題大做，而是小心翼翼，對付此武漢肺炎，要全神貫注，絕對不能像中國的習近平，和美國的川普，還有許多反對疫苗注射，又不戴口罩者。

我們家元兒，一直躲在房間自我隔離，在超市上班，戴緊口罩，馬上按規定打三針疫苗，我要告訴他我接近武漢肺炎案例，當然，他每天都需接觸，需要小心保護自己，我的情況應該不是嚴重。還有琳兒週一要回家，我要她在家也戴口罩，在車上也戴口罩，因為我是自我隔離者，又需開車送她們上機場，我不能是防疫之破洞。

我甚感激台灣國民，防範武漢肺炎之努力，這是台灣國民優良之公共衛生習慣，如此可以節省許多醫藥費，工作時間，我現在都懶得爭辯，只待如此接近病患，始知健康之可貴。

In Austin for Christmas 2021/Carlos Pueblo

 In Austin for Christmas 2021/Carlos Pueblo

We are invited to Austin for a Christmas dinner in 2021. We didn't go in 2021 due to the Wuhan Coronas virus pandemic outbreak. It was a short trip yet necessary. We left at 11 am and returned at 9 am on the next morning. I did calculate the total hours of the family together was three hours for a piece of a roast beef and three shots of Scottish whiskey. Most of our time was on the long drive to and from Austin, two marches with two lovely pet dogs, and gather two large bags of fallen leaves.

I consider that my life is very pleasant. Every day is like a Christmas to me. I don't have any stress of my senior life that I am healthy and I have my life occupied and I don't have any money issue. In order to make it easy for the long driving, I added additional two hours sleeping by skipping  a morning tennis. Freeways are no traffic at all.

Dogs were waiting anxiously for me to take them to march. Both of them are strong and I notice that they are not usually have a daily walk. I feel a little bit pain on my left knee above the old wound from tennis wear and tear. It gets a little better after dogs slowing down. I forgot to put the amaryllis bulbs box to the trunk; therefore, I missed the transplanting. Amy and I used the new leaves blower to clean some part of the front yard. We gathered two large trash bags all after my finishing of dogs march.

I have had a good trip to get together with Michelle's family. At a chat before we had a breakfast, I asked her about Amazon.com. She explains to me how it works. A huge data collection from my search of items, reminds me constantly if I don't make a purchase, after my purchase, it can deliver the item from a warehouse nearby. It is good to know.

北上奧斯汀過耶誕節2021／莊峻華

 北上奧斯汀過耶誕節2021／莊峻華

今年耶誕節又奉召，北上奧斯汀過耶誕節2021，這是琳兒好意，剛好我老身尚可，我們是耶誕節夜早上十一時出發，翌日耶誕節清晨九時回家，時間緊湊，但安排幾件工作，帶琳兒家雙愛犬散步兩次，打掃其庭院落葉，還有和其家人晚餐，我雖非基督徒，但也不忌諱其生日，耶誕節是美國大假日，今年公路狀況甚佳，沒有傳說中之擁擠，車開入十號公路，始憶得忘記攜帶日前挖出的喇叭花球莖，我準備移植到其庭院，還好她再隔兩日，將開車回休市，搭機到墨西哥休假四日，可以順便帶回。

兩愛犬憶得此老人，緊隨我身旁，我稍吹前院落葉，就帶他兩散步去也，第三愛犬今夏來訪後，回家發現癌症已過世，此兩犬仍是強壯，用力拉我，倒是我的左膝蓋有恙，不堪折磨，但稍後較能控制，回來時已經四時，大家就等待我就位，我吃一大片牛排，喝上三小杯威士忌，打翻一小杯葡萄酒，週旋於一桌老少間，講了一夜醉語，七時尚知刷牙更衣，然後就和衣而睡。

早上我就急著要回家，親家前夜已回家，因為他們仍需趕路，攜愛犬行軍後，收拾兩大包落葉，琳兒曰可以留在家，逐漸丟棄。我問她亞馬遜郵購，她說這是大數據原理，待我開始搜尋物品，亞馬遜已經留下記錄，可以在亞虎新聞上，穿插該未購妥廣告，他們知到我會買網球拍握把貼布，貨物已經在休市附近倉庫，銀貨兩訖後，就有專車送到我家，我是不喜購物，她們一天到晚，使用亞馬遜，難怪亞馬遜可以賣便宜一些。

我開始包紅包給琳兒家人，琳兒送我很多襯衫，我的襯衫都是她送的，但她不知我缺冬日網球長褲，所以愛美邀我到市郊大賣店購物，我反正閒來無事，逛街也行，一年又過矣。

Three outstanding Prussian Ministers/Carlos Pueblo

 Three outstanding Prussian Ministers/Carlos Pueblo

Prussia is and old Kingdom of German Empire, current day Germany. I am reading a book about the reasons why Britain and Germany come to the War. WWI and I am on page 60. Even up to today, many politician still ignore the history of that time around late 19th century in Europe, Prussia for instance. Xi of China and Putin of Russia don't know how important to avoid Wars. The three outstanding minsters of the Kaiser William I are Otto Von Bismarck, Albrecht Von Roon, and Helmuth Von Moltke. I make some mistakes to identify Roon and Moltke. The Danish is Moltke and Roon is Polish who accompanied the Crown Prince Frits to attend the Bonn University and also advised the Ottoman Army instead of China. Bismarck initiated attacks of Denmark, Austria, and France while Roon and  Moltke executed it. Of course, both the Kaiser and his son are Prussian Army commanders and should be credited.

According to my reading that politicians should pay more attention to the benefit of citizens under their rule. None in history have make all the conquer, Not Xi to Taiwan and Putin to Ukraine. I am very sorry for both of them, Xi and Putin. I always believe that a war can end a dictator's tenure and even end of a nation, dynasty, etc.