The old water pipe is broken/Carlos Pueblo

 

The old water pipe is broken/Carlos Pueblo

The old front yard water pipe is broken and tons of water leak. Our house was built in 1982 with a polyvinylchloride, PVC, type of pipe which can be last for about 30 years. I am in panic when I see such outburst of tap water and worry about the monthly water bill. I call a plumber and also inform the city 311. The plumber came and couldn’t turn off the water valve and the city contractor took their time to come. My daughter Michelle who has more experience in this matter finds another plumber to give me a quote. He did give me a quote and I paid half of the fee in the front. I believe that he informed the city to close my case. At least I shall pay $3,200 in total for the replacement of the old broken pipe and I’ll have a side valve installed by the side of the main valve for my future use to control the water.

I walk on the streets in the subdivision almost every day and see the broken pipe. Usually it will take a long time for the city to fix it. Because this is inside of my front yard; therefore, it is my responsibility to fix it. The second plumber tells me that I can present my invoice to the city to waive the extra charge of water due to the breakage which is a release of my concern. Otherwise, I must appeal to the city for the forgiveness.

I thought that it would be easy for me to manage my expanse to live in this house. It is an extra and unscheduled cost, no, I take it back. I should anticipate the collapse of the pipe like some of the regular maintenance such as painting and replacing the corroded wood on the siding. I am such a stingy person and always wait until the fire to reach my rear.

水管破裂/莊峻華

 

水管破裂/莊峻華

今晨散步返家，愛美驅車前來接駕，原來庭院水管破裂，流水甚多，我們連忙電話市政府，和修理水管公司，修理工前來，但無工具，無法關閉活門，但給給兩報價，我覺得水活門未能關閉，如何能動工修理？所以交上五十美金出差費，在奧斯汀之琳兒聞訊，連忙幫我們找一家公司來估價，她專門購買古屋，有三家換新水管經驗，現今水管都是多氯聚乙稀塑膠管，四十年就粉碎，所以破裂正常。技師設法關閉活門不果，我觀看其動作，甚為熟練，他說將另設一活門，給我三個報價，於是我選全段換新，一共四十五呎，要價三千兩百元美金，就是九萬六千新台幣，在美國生活，就是如此之貴，先付一千六，完工後全數付清。

我不能拖，打亂我寧靜之生活，漏水費甚貴，但市政府可以赦免増加水費，只要我提出有執照行號收據，此甚有趣，我原想動用轄區市議員，甚至上訴市長，請求減免水費，原來政府都已考慮到市民不便，我的問題是老舊水錶活門，電話申請市府幫忙，市府將工作包給外州大公司契約包工，有效管理服務，浪費之自來水，很快就補足，非常有趣，市政管理，全市只需一電話號碼，三一一，其餘則需了解手續，市民不會吃虧，若是公安問題，則反應速度甚快。

還好我今年二月起，都關在家隔離，省下出外旅行之錢，正好用上修理水管。

Babysitting three dogs during the labor’s day weekend/Carlos Pueblo

 

Babysitting three dogs during the labor’s day weekend/Carlos Pueblo

We were called to babysit three dogs during the labor’s day weekend. We have met these three lovely rescued dogs before and I have a full confidence to manage these four nights and five days. I consider myself as a dog whisperer because that I have had more than fifty dog friends in the neighborhood. They are Brinkley, Griffin, and Honey all eleven years old. First two are male and the third is a female, white spot, black, and chocolate colors of their hair individually. Their weight is 50 lbs. 20 lbs. and 20 labs.

There are two meals required in a day, early morning and evening before a walk, and also there is a third or fourth walk in between. These three are formed to be a pack; therefore, I have to change the arrangement, for instance, I would walk the big one away from Amy’s walk with two small one on the other direction. The big one is very powerful to pull like a slag dog and once he can’t see the other two I am alright. Honey can pull also yet she is less powerful and Amy can handle her with Griffin is very smooth together. After the walk, they are all exhausted lying down on the floor.

The owner makes a box of fried rice with bean and ground beef in order to mix with the dog food. Usually, they eat before me. I eat two meals a day also. They are playing sex intercourse action even though they are castrated. It does bother me and I have to point my finger at them and say no firmly.

At night, they must sleep with a human being to avoid scare of anything. I sleep on a sofa set; therefore, we bring their bed, a mattress, by my side. Amy will let them out during the night when she is awake. I also wake them up when I have my toilet visit during the night. There are also two cats in the household yet they are no trouble at all.

I ask the owner to find time to walk them every day. It is very important that dogs have exercises.

 

 

 

勞工節看愛犬/莊峻華

 

勞工節看愛犬/莊峻華

勞工節週末長假，我們到奧斯汀幫忙照顧三愛犬，他們都是十一歲年紀，十分活潑可愛，兩男一女，名曰布林克利，稍大雄犬，單眼皮，約五十磅體重，花白短毛，格利分是長毛黑犬，約二十磅不到，蜂蜜是長毛淡巧克力色，十分美麗䧳犬，三犬中最為甜蜜者，我們曾帶此犬散步過一次，因為主人住屋正在翻修，請人看守不易，於是想倒我們。

愛美聆聽女主人交代，如何餵食貓犬，如何放出後院，如何安置入睡等等，然後就是遛犬，這是我的部門，首日黃昏，兩男孩分別騎鐵馬陪我們遛犬，我帶兩雄犬，走一方向，一男孩陪著，愛美牽著蜂蜜，走另一方向，這是我之設計，分開這一伍，大犬十分掙扎，我也非常篤定，非常堅持，第二日，蜂蜜掙扎脫出，嚇壞愛美，於是我們設法追趕街頭，幸好一位善心男士幫忙，他下車幫忙追趕無效後，仍不放棄幫忙，開車追趕，差入路旁，阻擋這逃出小犬，蜂蜜不知如何應對，連忙退後，乖乖回到愛美身旁。翌日，我再改組隊伍，大犬單隻與我，兩小犬體力尚可控制，交給愛美，於是我們相安無事，遛犬主要目的是讓愛犬有機會上廁所，我們口袋都準備糞袋。

晚上，三犬需要與人同室睡覺，於是跟我同睡客廳，在我沙發旁，否則真是風吹草動，整夜不得安寧。主人準備一大盒炒飯，與飼料混食，早晚兩餐。我們一日遛犬至少三次，也認識不少鄰居，很快五日四夜過去，我忘記帶回皮拖鞋，只待下次再帶回。

Trump is shameless/Carlos Pueblo

 

Trump is shameless/Carlos Pueblo

One of the ways to describe President of Trump is that he is a shameless person. He reminds me two famous quotes in the old Chinese literature which I have learned since my childhood. The first one is by Mencius who defined the shameless: the man can’t be shameless, to know what is the shameless ness; therefore, you can avoid the shameless. It is very dirty when people call you shameless ness. The other quote is from a famous prince Tsao Tsi(192-232), he once wrote to his friend Yang Der-tsu to clarify the human preference. He says that the human has a difference of favorite, the fragrant of the orchid and the vanilla are preferable to most of people while one the seaside, there are people chasing the smelly, foul and stinking, etc.

I went to Austin during the weekend for a short visit to my daughter. I pick up a yard sign of Biden’s campaign and proudly erect it on my front yard for everybody to see that I prefer the orchid and the vanilla. I hope this media madness about Trump will end on November the third. We are going to vote Trump out of the White House.

川普無恥/莊峻華

 

川普無恥/莊峻華

世界上最為無恥者，川普也，中國先哲孟子曰，人不可以無恥，無恥之恥，無恥也，就是說，每人都需要有羞恥心，不能沒有羞恥心，知道甚麼是為無恥，就可以避免無恥之行為，就與無恥有涉，川普天天說謊，天天造謠，天天無惡不作，曹植曰，人各有所好尚，蘭茞蓀蕙之芳，而海畔有逐臭之夫。

川普好色，而且不擇手段，克林頓也好色，但憑口才說服力，而不是全憑金錢銅臭，川普有許多女色案件在等他，有非法報銷女色支出，目前躲在白宮內。

川普之種族岐視，也是無恥之一也，他看不起窮人，黑人，墨西哥人，亞洲人等，和那些白人優越感人一伍，這些人心理不正常，美國尚有許多人，動不動就開槍打死無辜者。

川普不守法，鑽法律漏洞，威赫那些告密醜聞者，打法律官司，所有參選或當選總統者，都公佈私人稅報，惟他拒絕，而且再三申訴到最高法院，此無恥也，大家想知道如何幾十億萬富翁，可以不交稅？而且又可倒閉六次以上，到六百次？而又維持幾十億資產？各州檢察長，都查何以美國銀行都拒絕貸款給他，他又可以跟德國銀行，貸到巨款？檢察長想知道其企業，是否向中國和俄羅斯銀行借錢？當美國總統，私人企業，仍然掛自己姓名，又交給兒子管，是清楚嗎？兒子均是成年人，若屬他人，已非自營，那麼是不是要交贈與稅？全國都應該討論，在華盛頓租聯邦郵局舊址，開辦大飯店，營業聯邦業務，例如沙烏地官員，此有與民奪利乎？

台灣政府輿論一片叫好川普，包括一般台灣人，川普是為自己私利，並非真正替台灣出氣，他想發動戰爭，取得連任，美國軍隊是募兵制，兵源窘困，台灣為獨立生存，需要靠自己，美國幫忙是其次，還剩下兩個月，中國不會攻打台灣，美國也不會攻打中國，讓拜登當選總統，美國，台灣，和全球都不會如此緊張，川普無恥，又沐猴而冠，連美國都快宣佈破產。AC

My prediction of the 2020 U.S. election/Carlos Pueblo

 

My prediction of the 2020 U.S. election/Carlos Pueblo

The 2020 US election is only 64 days away and I predict that the Democrat will sweep the House, the Senate, and the White House. It is all because of these four years of Donald Trump. Can anyone tell me what has been happened in this administration except an executive lead of legislation of the tax cut? The small tax cut may be benefited to a few rich; however, their overall portfolios are depreciated and less safe than before. Who are going to be the back bone of our tax revenue? Almost 50% of the American is not paying the federal income tax and now the rich and the corporate are paying less, plus I don’t see the rosy scenery of the U.S. economic, yet the national debt is ballooning. Even some of the conservative Republican are shaking their head, by the way, where is the Tea Party?

He breaks the law all the time, before the White House and in the White House. He thinks that he is above the law. There are many law suits and prosecutions waiting for him when he leaves the White House in January next year. Democrats ran on impeaching him and won the House of Representative. Even my Republican district changes hand to the Democrat and her only campaign issue is to impeach him. The House did impeach him yet fell in the Republican control Senate. In November, Democrats will keep the House and also take over the Senate. Without it, the U.S. will not have any progress at all and still wasting time even if the Democrat takes the White House.

Those voters like me who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 would never vote for Trump this time. She got more votes than him. I like to see how those voters in coal states, steel states, and agricultural states, etc. will vote this time. The U.S. has never been like his description of great again. Of course, I know that American has been great all the time. America is not great when you can’t find a job to earn a living to support yourself and your family. There are about 70 millions of American are not great any more. It is his mismanagement of the nation.

There is another great risk which he is taking now. He wants to create a war against China in order to take away everybody’s attention of his loosing election. I read Chinese and I know as well he knows. China is surrendering and Xi orders his military forces not to fire the first shot. Chinese is eager to talk whatever except no independent for Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet, and the East Turkestan. It is too late for him to take the opportunity for the peace of the world.