Growing the amaryllis from seeds/Carlos Pueblo

 Growing the amaryllis from seeds/Carlos Pueblo

The amaryllis is also called the belladonna lily. It's flower looks like the trumpet shape of the lily. I have grown the orange color flowers for more than 30 years. First, I got them from my neighbor Estella across the street from my old Traviata house. She gave me some bulbs in November and mentioned to me that was the time to propagate the plant. I have done many times to transfer plants to my two rental houses sold, to Michelle's Cherrywood property, and all plants from Traviata to Del Monte residences. I have been very impressed to the beautiful amaryllis blossom in the neighborhood; therefore, I decide to grow the plant from seeds. It would be difficult for me to ask them to dig the bulb for me while I can pick seeds some time after the blooming. I did  spread hundreds of flake like seeds to my yard last year and I saw nine small plants coming out. They are all surviving the severe freezing weather in February, of course, we usually keep the tulip bulbs in the refrigerator over the winter in order to have the blooming in the next spring in the warm weather of Houston, Texas.

I am aware that I may not witness the blooming of these nine young plants and I don't mind. I like Amy and Arthur to enjoy them. It will take about 7 years for the plant to have the flower. They are all in different colors from mine and also only last for two weeks or less before fading away. I ask the senora again for the permission to pick up the flower seeds. I know the raining day ahead of the actual raining because I am the weather man for my tennis group. My partners will ask me to check on the court before they come to our daily tennis. I shall bury the fake like seed to the ground to be sure it won't be blown away like the previous year. Another neighbor mentioned to me so because she did the same thing last year and got a better result than mine.

Michelle has several houses which I can plant flowers to. She will be delighted like before that they are all free.

種植喇叭花／莊峻華

 種植喇叭花／莊峻華

幾日前我到鄰居家，索取喇叭花種子，準備今年再度播種，去年我在庭院，到處播撒喇叭花子，結果有九小棵長成，並且逃過今年二月冰凍，冰凍算甚麼？球莖花需要藏在冰箱多時，始能開花，我指鬱金香，喇叭花當然不怕冰凍，我種植喇叭花有三十餘年歷史，先是茶花女街老鄰居贈與，我到處移植，移到兩出售租屋前院，琳兒奧斯汀住屋，我們新址都有八年，每年三月，喇叭花開，雖然短暫，但甚漂亮，我的顏色是橙黃一式，甚能繁殖，目前，前後院都有，新種植之九株幼苗，應該更漂亮，因為母株甚是美麗，這位屋主，是我的西語老師，三十年前鄰居，也是西語系美國護士，都是喜愛園藝者也。

有位鄰居，購買喇叭花種，一株是二十五美金，和我們同街，去年他們也培植種子，是埋在種盆內，所以效果甚佳，我待要參觀，他們前院兩處是喇叭花，很是漂亮，也種過台灣的雞冠花，去年贈我兩盒，我隨便種在花盆裏，效果甚佳，今年冒出幾十株，我們移植一些到琳兒新居，值天雨頻頻，也長得很好，過些時就要開花，而且花季甚長。

我常夢想有一大庭院，可以種植花草西瓜，艾美笑我懶惰，其實我割草已八年，而且我種玫瑰花和喇叭花都超過三十年，雖然不甚專門，但參觀過無數世界著名花園無數次，欣賞花朵是一嗜好，而且種植免費花朵，更是安逸，人生一樂也。

Making the mold for my denture/Carlos Pueblo

 Making the mold for my denture/Carlos Pueblo

After two weeks of the healing, I went to the appointment to make the mold measurement for my new denture. Falling teeth is one of my health issue at the old age and the fake teeth set is the reasonable answer. The nurse first inserted two sets of the mold skeleton into my mouth to see if they were fit, then applied the soft plastic to the space of falling teeth to get the mold. The clinic will mail the mold to a laboratory in California to make the denture. I need to come back to try the first draft once the clinic receive the mold made from California.

When I was at the senior high school in Taipei, my uncle, the elder brother of my mother, was very kind allowing both of my brothers to stay with his family in order to save money. He was a successful dentist specialized in the denture and crown. I saw his dental laboratory right behind his clinic on the first floor. I am aware of the denture making procedure. I have had a very found memory of my denture making in Taipei, Taiwan with his son dentist and his grandson dentist in 2013. I saw a denture piece left on a table of my late mother. A piece that had stayed with her for all her life and also a nice gift from her brother to solve her eating difficulty. I decided to go back to Taipei to have one set for myself. At that time, it was cheaper to have it made in Taiwan with a better quality. I managed to reach the old clinic where I stayed back to the 60's. A young and handsome dentist, his grandson, received me and did an extraction. He was not quite sure if I had enough time to have a permanent set made, it was less than a month, yet he asked me to come back to see his father after the weekend. After inspecting my wound healing so well, he confidently determined to go ahead for the permanent set. It is a denture with the construction of metal, plastic and the fake teeth. They are very strong and comfortable.

I want to go go back to visit him to have new sets made, yet the Corona Virus stop me unfortunately. I can take the new subway to his new clinic and also have a good trip to be back to Taiwan. I can also visit my brother and two sisters at my hometown Huwei while I am waiting. I did promise to participate my college 50 years class reunion. Come to think about it, I still can go back to have another set made next year when the pandemic is more relax. I can ask him to mail the new sets to me if I don't have enough time to wait in Taiwan.

量製假牙模型／莊峻華

 量製假牙模型／莊峻華

今午有約，量製假牙模型，牙科診所，再將模型，寄到加州實驗室製造，約兩週後，診所收到草本，再約我複檢，再寄回加州，完成定製，假牙將是全塑膠成品，難怪我肯購買，假牙在美國，似乎不甚普遍，裝置假牙，也不甚方便，我實在是落牙頻頻，舊假牙已經無法包括兩落牙，而且又是武漢肺炎，返台治療受限制，不得不就地解決，而且時間也不許可，在家等候這冗長製作期間，比較適合。

我曾描述上次回台，製作假牙之過程，應該是2013年，我看到先母遺下之一具假牙，我就決定返台裝假牙，我們家之母舅，是牙科醫生，假牙專家，他公子，就是我的表弟，也繼承父業，並且能植牙，兩位雙生公子，也是牙醫，都在兩診所服務。那年我摸到貴陽街老診所，自我介紹給少年醫生，他幫我拔掉一顆牙齒，但曰時間蒼促，無法裝永久假牙，只能裝臨時假牙，要我過週末，再回老診所見他父親，於是我週一，再從永和租屋，搭公車到老診所，我表弟一看拔牙傷痕，癒合甚佳，立即判斷製作永久假牙，馬上量製模型，我就搭火車環島旅行，又搭飛機到金門，坐船到烈嶼過夜，也很精彩。

這兩具假牙，沒有金屬框架，像是簡漏，但我也無法在意，做他選則，在美國裝假牙，比較不普遍，一般工作牙齒險，是有植牙選擇，我無牙險，只能找一令我心安理得者也，也許我找機會返台，再製造一具，請醫生郵寄給我備用。

Biden's vaccine patent wavier/Carlos Pueblo

 Biden's vaccine patent wavier/Carlos Pueblo

India Prime Minister asks Biden's to wave the vaccine patent for his country in order to control the Chinese Wuhan Corona Virus Pandemic. Biden approves the request and three current approved companies, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson, have show no objection. I do see that German Chancellor Merkel's headline objection because a German firm help Pfizer to develop the successful vaccine which I have received two shots. I am very touched for the quick action from Biden, as a matter of the fact according to Jen Psaki, it is his champion promise. This is what Americans are that always come to help in case of humanity such as getting involved in both World War I and II, etc. I believe that Catherine Tai will discuss the details with the World Trade Organization and India how to transfer the patent and others to help India to produce the vaccine.

I have watched Pfizer's Boula spoke twice and admire him very much. He is a very intelligent and considerate person. He understands this is a noble decision. Pfizer will not lose any profit at all. There is a considerable amount of income from the vaccine in 2020 within his company annual total. People know and appreciate his company. Our life is getting a bit easier after we receive the shot. We all appreciate all companies jump into the development of vaccine to fight the pandemic. It is real and it is true that the U.S. will fight the human tragedy. This is why I adore and immigrate to this great nation.

This is not stupid and this is humanity. I believe that we are much better now after Biden comes to power than before. American are good in business and can get the money back in case there is a disadvantage after waving the vaccine patent. India can't sell the new produce back to the U.S. to make a profit and it is also only to waive this time for the time being. The virus is changing very fast and required developing continuously. I don't see any reporter to ask comment on Chinese and Russians help of vaccine distribution any longer. It is their propaganda. Very soon, the U.S. will wave the vaccine export and the rest of the world can receive the effective vaccine to fight the pandemic.

疫苗專利保護問題／莊峻華

 疫苗專利保護問題／莊峻華

中國武漢肺炎肆瘧被發現後，世界各衛生強國，包括台灣在內，立即著手開發疫苗，以便普遍注射預防，美國很成功的發展至少三種品牌，輝瑞，默德娜，和詹森與詹森，以便應急，另外還有幾種，也在排隊等候聯邦核准，台灣走日本研發路線，尚未成功，中國亦是抄日本，但逕行推廣注射，而且不公佈數據，只重視統戰，在白宮每日記者會，屢屢逼問白宮發言人珍謝姬曰，中俄兩國已在全球賣疫苗，拜登總統，作何感想，謝姬一直搪塞總統政策，以美國國內注射為優先，必需國內注射完畢，藥廠始可出售國外，借給加墨兩鄰國四百萬劑疫苗，是尚未和即將核准之奧斯特拉辛妮卡藥廠疫苗，尚未在美國核准，但白宮早已未雨綢繆，已向該廠訂購多劑，因此謝姬曰，借貸疫苗並不影響國內注射進度，拜登政府是典型傳統之美國政權，一切合法合理合情。

美國國內注射，已超過兩億劑，現在開始注射12歲以上，無需電郵預先登記，美國普遍注射困難在暈針，還有宗教死硬派，但世界有些國家，開始不支，像印度和巴西，記者在每日白宮記者會，繼續責問謝姬，印度總理甚至請求拜登，提供藥廠秘方，疫苗專利，以便印度自己生產，印度人很敢，世貿組織也如此要求，但我從來未聽聞，要求中國和俄羅斯疫苗秘方，尤其中國，施放毒藥，又無解藥，或甚賣無效解藥，有礙中國武林規矩。謝姬曰拜登競選政見中，同意提供秘方，講話算話，果然戴琦大使昨日宣佈美國同意提供秘方，而且提供原料，幫助技術製造，這些都是經過有效率之國內協商，取得共識，美國人能商，戴琦要先和世貿會協商，也要跟印度協商，眾院民主黨議員超過一百位，支持拜登提供秘方，輝瑞藥廠之伯拉總經理是聰明幹才，輝瑞有德國藥廠合作，肺炎肆瘧，千變萬化，輝瑞，美國，德國等，都能應付，昨日股市消息，輝瑞去年獲利，一千兩百六十億美金，疫苗佔四百億美金，我看默德娜股票，也無重挫，而且也不至於重挫，台灣現在之二十萬劑疫苗，來自默德娜預購，提供給醫界第一線，這是蔡英文政府之決策，台灣自產疫苗，將在夏天上市。

美國決定提供疫苗製造秘方，是國際政治高招，讓國際政治更加有趣，另外，無法使用秘方之國家該如何？慢慢等，最近有婚變之比爾蓋斯基金，早準備錢，買下所有疫苗，當然直接向美國藥廠賣，不會向印度買，否則國稅局會有意見，政治法律很有趣。

Take Arthur to his second Grand Jury Select/Carlos Pueblo

 Take Arthur to his second Grand Jury Select/Carlos Pueblo

Arthur's second Grand Jury Select day was yesterday. He is not good at driving in Houston normal traffic on the freeway and I love him so much; therefore, I don't mind to drive him any where other than his to and from work. This Grand Jury Select is a civic duty like other kinds of jury duty. If it is selected, you must serve at the court room Tuesday and Friday, three hours a day, for three months. We get it all figure out how to manage it. He will take the bus to downtown court house and we shall take him to and from the bus stop. It is a hassle indeed yet we will deal with it.

I brought a note book of language classes to read while I was waiting inside the Astro Arena assembly hall. Last time, I went directly to see my eyes doctor for annual examination and came back to take him. This time, I could see the activity inside the assembly hall, all the court people, attorneys, and people called. He guessed about 40 finalist and 12 will be picked with additional 4 as the reserve. The 12 selected will be escorted to downtown court house immediately for duty. I was waiting and waiting, guessing and guessing, and asking and asking. First, he came out to line up with about 40 of them and then herded together to another place on the back. I was still waiting and waiting. I saw two more groups with about 65 each line up and herded away.

Finally after one and half hours, I saw people from that back direction coming out for rest room break and even exit directly. I saw him out of the rest room and went out side without notice of my present. I asked a lady court police what was going on. She told me none had been picked yet. Another staff assured me that she saw Arthur went out side. He was out side and attempted to call me for the ride home. The lady judge asked for the volunteers to fill up the Grand Jury and finally made it. The rest were excused.

I was so happy that he didn't volunteer and got this issue solved. I don't need to worry about any of the transportation problem occurred in the next three months. I am still very occupied with my daily life.

The prosecutor asks for the Grand Jury assembled in order to establish a criminal case to be prosecuted, then the case go to trail. Before the trail, there will be another jury be selected from both sides, the prosecutor and the defense attorney. I was told if your numbers was higher than 20, most likely you were not going to be picked up as a jury. It is very interesting system. This system is admired all over the world, Taiwanese love to change their court system to be like this kind.