Mr. Diep, My lawn man/ Carlos Pueblo

Mr. Diep, My lawn man/ Carlos Pueblo

Sunday morning, Mr. Diep came to mow the yard which was overdue for

4 weeks. First, he used the ring edger to edge the out growing part and

blew them back to inside of the yard. Finally, he used a regular lawn mower

to finish the job with a grass catcher, 3 bags. He could not use his commercial

lawn mower due to the size would not fit all three gates to the back yard. Nor

he had had a helper, his Mexican helper went back home for some reasons.

We have had Mr. Diep, An America Vietnamese, for our lawn man for quite

some time. Yancy referred his oversea Vietnam Chinese lawn man for us in

the 80’s to solve our basic lawn care, then, the small business had changed

hands several time until him. He would come to mow the yard every other week

yet lately postponed to three or four weeks each time. I don’t mind at all yet you

can feel the growing speed of the lawn especially after summer rain.

It is very unique that this subdivision home owners pay so much attention to their

lawn care matter. You can see the automatic sprinkler almost daily for some, weekly

lawn mow for some, and adding fertilizer in the spring etc. which are done by their

lawn men or special lawn care companies.  We enjoy very much while walking around

our subdivision every morning and see every different style of yard and garden in our

neighborhood.

I think that I myself can do my own lawn care business. In 2000 and 2001, I did manage

to sell two rental houses for the kids college education. I bought a new set of lawn

care equipment, a new lawn mower, an edger, and a gas blower. It took about 15

months to get rid of both houses and I did mow the yard weekly. Fortunately, both

houses were vacant separately and continually one after another. It was out of Mr. Diep’s

working range. I did have some kind of achievement feeling when both houses sold in

a presentable condition especially the yards.

I like to keep the mulch on the ground; however, Mr. Diep likes to clean it up to a bag

and through it away. I guess that makes the yard looking clean and organized. Of course,

the ground cannot be benefit from the old mulch to enrich the root. I don’t like to

criticize him because he has done a good job for me and solve my home care duty for some

long time. Sine we moved to Del Monte new house, he has helped me twice for my house

chore, one time removed a big piece of new carpet from the garage attic and the other one,

helping me to level a tree stump near by a fence.

割草師傅/莊峻華

割草師傅/莊峻華

週日早上，割草師傅駕臨，我從室內，透過活業窗，前後觀看其動作

，四週來幾次大雨臨盆，前後院草皮茂盛，有若蹈秧，師傅先將頭部

包紮，取出修邊機，繩削邊草，然後吹風，將草削吹回草叢，然後一

般小割草機，割草吸草，一氣喝成。當今，美國社會，注意道移民問

題，許多限制，師父找不到工人幫忙，許多活都需延後，每天早上，看

到鄰居割草師傅，就想電話提醒師傅，對面巴基斯坦鄰居，乾脆就換師

傅割草，我正為師傅耽心，家裡已無割草機幾十年。

我們聘請這公司割草，應該有35年歷史，先是峻嚴介紹其師傅，是為越

南華僑個體戶，老華僑不久，賣掉該生意，然後換手幾次，一直到現任師

傅，從茶花女街，割到現在，有日愛美找鄰居師傅來割草，因為師傅腳受

傷，我不知道真相，反而跟鄰居師傅說，僅此一次，不久我們越南師傅，

恢復工作，但很多時候，已經無工人幫忙。

我會割草，而且習得要領，最近割草經驗，是在2000年和2001年間，因

為兩棟租屋空出，我需要整修出售，這兩棟租屋，不在師傅業務範圍內，

所以我就自己來，我是先將草皮打成碎草，置放在草皮上，然後再修邊，也

修牆頭草，每週割一次，所以草皮漸漸深厚，有陵有角。房屋售出後，新置

割草機，贈給買主，結果買主好意，與我買房屋保險到現在。提到自己割草

，有許多頭痛，像割草機之維護，修邊機，和吹風機，現在這些店很少，一

般割草師傅，都能自行修理，我曾想學這單引擎機器，但就是沒學成，有一

年，我在席爾司賣珠寶手錶，席爾司有自修課程，讓店員選擇。

搬到戴爾蒙特新居，割草師傅，幫我兩次小忙，一次是將一塊裁剩新地毯，

從車庫天花板上搬下來，這需要兩個大人，然後我請一位地毯師傅，安置

在車庫一角落，置放一些文書箱，還有一書桌，有文房四寶，琳兒搬回家，

其剩餘傢俱，就堆積在車庫地毯上；一次是最近，師復見我砍樹頭，笑曰無

需如此辛苦，他有電鋸，果然離去後，老樹頭已經鋸平，為了此夾竹桃樹，

我一共麻煩四次，鋸掉枯枝幹，枯樹幹，然後砍樹頭，我想一般割草師傅，

也需要幫忙整理樹叢，鋸掉枯死樹幹，就是一般庭院園藝維護。

股市崩盤2015/莊峻華

股市崩盤2015/莊峻華

我正在等待中午，白內障小手術，網路新聞報導，中國股市崩盤，接

著美國紐約道瓊直落一千點，真是人心惶惶，我的退休金，都在股市，

但是老神在在，這三十年來，股市起伏，我經過1987年之十月，2008

年之九月，今年美國經濟環境，和當年不同，而且剩下來之退休金，都

是當年儲蓄投資之餘，何怨嘆之有？

先言中國股市，中國股市甚小，對中國整體經濟影，不若美國股市，對

美國經濟之影響份量，中國經濟成長，已經無法類似當年，兩位數字成

長，開始要像美國日本一樣，一兩百分點成長，現在中國之百分之七成

長率，也算不錯。中國生產過剩，股市原理，產銷平衡，不平衡時，就

有谷底，有時候會有戰爭，銷耗一些過剩產品，也銷耗一些過剩人口。

中國過剩產品，對美國影響有限，我發現美國人，學乖很多，消費傾向

儲蓄保守，不像過去一般積極，貸款消費，美國就業率，目前比2008年

和 1987年兩相比較，相差甚鉅，從目前之失業率，顯示美國經濟，有穩

定之成長，在百分之三之譜，始得維持如此低失業率，前兩次股市崩盤，

都是共和黨執政，雷根之供應派，小布希之發動戰爭，供應派鼓勵生產，

不計消費量如何；小布希銷耗掉一兆美金，在伊拉克和阿富汗，所以要關

心國家政治，不要後悔不及。

油價偏底，生產過剩，對消費者有益處，但對休市等石油工業有影響，石

油業蕭條；但通貨膨脹低。許多國家，開始貶值貨幣，美金，歐元，日圓

，和人民幣，都先後貶值，消費者更加謹慎，錢花在刀口上，聖誕節百貨

公司生意量，再四個月就將結曉。

所以我說，這是一平穩之著路，平穩之跌到谷底，股市會再起飛，再一穩

定政局下，經濟產量，會漸次增加，中國工業，將漸漸轉移到菲律賓和越

南等國，中國也要工業轉型，中國不能抱殘守缺，要有效面對世局，美國

人提到人民幣貶值，說是中國喜歡大權在握，但不喜歡負起責任，我覺得

很有趣，中國人喜歡佔領別人領土，但對自己領土環境，土壤，空氣，水

源生態和國民，卻不願負起責任。

紐約股市，藉口中國股市崩盤，波及美國，我覺得很幽默，有很多公司盈

餘，受到影響，應該是跨國企業，不會動搖到整個美國基本工業，這是一

般常識，雷根之供應派理論，正在面臨挑戰，增加生產，而無顧於消費，

無法解決一般產銷之平衡，股市需要反映，如此物極必反之大道理。

Growing tomato/ Carlos Pueblo

Growing tomato/ Carlos Pueblo

The weather is getting cooler nowadays and some rain shower along with

it. I ask my neighbor whether it is the time for me to grow tomato. I may

get this coming 90 days for a suitable climate, 74 degree or below, to have

some harvest. I clean 6 small pots for the tomato seed beds and also put

some other seeds, cucumber, bell pepper, green bean etc. I had had those

free seeds when I visited Lancaster, PA last spring. It has not been successful

for me to grow tomato for a long time ever since 1977 when I was at Auburn,

AL.

I am hoping after I return from my plan trip to Europe, I shall run into the plant

to bear fruit; however, I may not make it for the trip, yet I can pay more attention

to the transferring plant and routine care of the garden. The falling tree branches

this year opens up some sunshine for a small part of my back yard; therefore, I

do have some harvest for a kind of Taiwanese squash, pretty yellow flower with

a long strip of fruit. I shall pull off the dead vine of the squash when tomato plants

come out and ready to be transfer and I shall place them at the same lot which is

the only space for my garden.

I don’t quite get used to the expanse of tomato in the U.S. super market. We take

tomato as a regular fruit, of course, American eat tomato as a salad with dressing.

In Taiwan, especially in the southern part, you can order a plate of ripe tomato in

a fruits shop with a special prepared thick soy sauce and sweet dry plum powder

for a date with your sweet heart. It is very romantic and not expansive at all at that

time, I say in the 60’s or 70’s, while I had had a very good memory. Recently I run

into some improved cherry tomatoes in Taiwan with very impressed sweetness.

I also saw some good tomatoes in Spain and Italy. Italian utilize many tomatoes in

their cuisine.

In 1976 at Auburn, Alabama, I grew 400 tomatoes successful on the campus. Since

Then, I have tried many times to grow and failed due to the hot weather in Houston,

Texas. The neighbor whom I mentioned at the beginning grows tomatoes in a big pot

and always successfully. I think that 74 degree temperature is vital for the success.

At the end of January next year, I shall make another attempt to grow tomato for the

spring season.

種番茄/莊峻華

種番茄/莊峻華

天氣稍涼，又有陣雨，想起種番茄，連忙詢問鄰居，他說是時後矣，

連忙整理出六小盆，拔出義大利紫蘇枯枝，盒內土壤貧瘠，無所謂

也，我可以事後馬糞補救，不僅番茄兩種，甚至青紅椒，小黃瓜，

都是今年春天，旅行賓州亞米許故鄉，攜帶回來之東部品種。

聽說番茄需要三個月，待我歐洲旅行回家，剛好遇上結果，如此也無

所謂成功或失敗，今年絲瓜，躲過炙熱，終於結果，肯定明年有菜種

，洗澡有菜瓜博。五月颱風，吹倒鄰居樹幹，連帶一整排樹，鄰居整

枝後，空出一片陽光，我擠進之小樹，都已經藉機成長，秋後，可以

幾株番茄，種在拔除絲瓜藤下空地。

美國菜市場，番茄很貴，而且味道不對，不知何故？鄰居之番茄，養

植成功，味道比超市好多，但仍比不上西班牙和台灣，我們在虎尾，番

茄當作水果，味道非常重要。

我曾經在奧本，種過一季番茄四百株，非常成功，而且不用肥料，但是

番茄甜度不夠，只能送人，後來，番茄果實上長蟲，是一種疾病，蟲曰

陸軍，寄生在果蒂上，由外而內，阿拉巴馬番茄大宗，近年採收工缺乏

，許多番茄，爛於農地。

一般番茄株，約是一年草本生，但我在阿拉斯加州，費爾邊克市郊一溫

泉處，見過一種超過一年之番茄，這是利用溫室地熱環境，番茄味道不錯

，但是價錢也是昂貴。吃番茄應該到虎尾或是台灣中南部，冰果室有切番

茄，沾乾草粉甜醬，但是也開始貴，一千元新台幣，吃不上幾盤，所以我

都到路邊攤買，論斤計價，在西班牙老街，也有水果蔬菜攤，也可以買到

合理番茄。

Doing whatever desire yet should be within limit/ Carlos Pueblo

Doing whatever desire yet should be within limit/ Carlos Pueblo

This is Confucius’s common sense, he says, when you reach 70, you

Should do whatever you desire yet should be within your own limit.

Actually, desire and limit apply to all ages not only 70’s. My trip to

Europe on September 16 has been postponed due to an additional

left eye procedure and I shall check with my eye surgeon tomorrow

for my travel idea.

I desire to go back to Europe and come back on a Transatlantic Cruise.

I don’t have any limit because I am free must of my time and the trip

is within my limit. If I miss this plan, I may miss to have that cruise this

year and I may lose the physical condition to make such trip because

I am near 70 and no longer have top physical. I can always desire yet I

Do have certain limit at current age.

Transatlantic cruise concept has been understood by me recently

because of last one month trip to Europe. I like the idea and the fare

both satisfy my desire which means that I am within my limit this year.

If I make it, I certainly will have a good memory to write about the

Journey. I can copy the itinerary next spring when the ship goes back

and I can cover some more part of Europe. Many people have completed

such foreign travel at their senior age, Confucius, Lee Er of the Daoist, and

Ku Ting-lin of a Confucian in early Manchu Dynasty.

Those are three famous Chinese philosophers in Chinese history, one

went out of his home country and came back to write a book, two went

out of current day Long Wall and never mentioned their return. I can enjoy

the journey by the modern transportation and come back in a short time

period and go out gain.

從心所欲不踰矩/莊峻華

從心所欲不踰矩/莊峻華

最近因治療白內障，影響到九月中旅行歐洲之計劃，待我想通之後，

行程已經需要改變，我需要直飛法蘭克佛，省去都柏林，愛丁堡，和

伯明罕，原因是倫敦此刻，已無廉價機票道德國和西班牙。有曰正在

眼疾療養中，左眼視力尚未復明，何需汲汲而行？說的也是，但取消

重返歐洲，又能幫助我甚麼？令我想起孔老夫子此句，七十從心所欲

不踰矩。

若取銷歐洲行，我就需要面對年底三個月，如何安排活動，西班牙語

中之忙碌，是填滿，填滿每日24小時，如果到歐洲兩個月，周遊列國

，然後搭船16日，渡過大西洋，可以填滿年底三個月，可以在等待乎

？我常撫心自問，我能再有此機會？週五看病，詢問醫生，可否請病假

？直飛法蘭克福，需要九小時，70歲老人，需要考慮，我整天面對壁鏡

，兩手術再加上歲月如梭，很少人如此，童心未泯。年紀大，身體器官

，開始崩潰，先是糖尿病，這是藥物控制，食物控制，和運動控制；再

來是齒動搖，三年前回台北裝假牙；再來是白蒼蒼，就是白內障手術，

身體問題，都是一而再，再而三，層出不窮，此為老苦和病苦。

我還是思思念念，琳兒機場接送之72元美金，她說免想矣，如此單眼開

車危險，我說柳生十兵衛，她不知我所云，也懶得聽我說明，柳生是江戶

時代之獨眼俠，最近我看太多老影片，柳生當年，無需開車，而且電影不

是歷史，杜撰可也。重要者為我需，用掉手上之優待機票，建立起新之人

生回憶。

此為不踰矩之範圍，就是量入為出，不違反節約儲蓄之習慣。有網球局人

，來話詢問，何時能重返球場？因為三缺一之故，打網球也是從心所欲，

因為糖尿病，需要經常運動，而且網球局，能使一週飛渡，有否體力和毅

力，則是踰矩境界。