2022年新英格蘭蘭加拿大行／莊峻華

 2022年新英格蘭蘭加拿大行／莊峻華

去年恢復郵輪旅行，先是自紐約曼哈頓港出發之東加勒比海行，隔一期又從曼哈頓搭同船赴羅馬，越過大西洋，夏初攜愛美同遊阿拉斯加來回兩次，都寫下回憶，現在遊記寫到秋殘日紐約港旅行新英格蘭和加拿大之旅，也是來回兩週，年底尚有一次佛州天頗市南加勒比海之旅，和2023年初重返曼哈頓之三趟東加勒比海暨巴拿馬運河來回行，馬上又有日本賞櫻花見行，春初阿拉斯加兩週行，我是生活在人間天堂中。

起跑號黃昏從曼哈頓港出發，碼頭在哈德遜河12大道，南下途經自由女神島，我搭乘此公司郵輪此港啟航多次，這次印象最為深刻，愛女帶位劃座偏窗，巨大郵輪徐徐行出港，剛好是餐廳晚餐開業，無甚餐客，經過一日紐約折騰，午睡方醒。紐約傍晚甚美，街燈夜色方上，不久綠色自由女神迄立，郵輪仍是徐徐行，讓我憶起一部無名小子西部片，老槍手退出江湖，搭乘密士西比河遊輪啟航之一幕，起跑號更是壯觀，已經有餐客驚呼，趨前拍攝留念，不久巨輪穿過著名之布魯克林大橋，紐約已是通火萬巷。

郵輪駛出紐約，進入大西洋，首站是羅德島之新港，新港是前貝爾參議員之故鄉，參議員對台灣有深情，我非常感激，也特別介紹給當地選民，他曾聽過被出賣台灣作者，喬治柯爾一節課，認識二二八慘案，隨後在參議院立法案，支持台灣，著名之台灣關係法，就是一例。

The regular house maintenance/Carlos Pueblo

 The regular house maintenance/Carlos Pueblo

After paying the annual federal income, I must face the regular house maintenance. It is why I like to stay on the cruise trip forever because that I can pretend that I don't have these requirements. There is a growing tumor on our 20 years old cat's rear right leg which we must urgently attend to it before we leave to Austin and Japan. Amy can hold the bleeding daily and I must face the winter damaged yards, front and back.

The yard man did give a quote for the annual dirt and mulch applying, $100 per a cubic yard and we need 6. He didn't give her how much for the re-built part of the lawn and I believe that he is lack of such workers additionally. I said that I would do it myself. I knew how to get the material, the dirt and the new grass sod, etc. The landscape supply will deliver them to my front street and I must get it done quickly before the mailman comes.

I am so released that Amy veto such idea because we can't stay long enough to water the new project. We can wait until this fall and that is what she says. I can go ahead to apply the annual fertilizer one of these day with the spring rain. She won't bother me for the time being.

Our painter did the exterior painting and repair last year. We couldn't do the interior due to the foundation crack, the soil movement or shift. Now, some of our doors can't be closed properly. This is very common in Houston area and is a big deal. It costs a chunk of money to repair it. I don't really need to worry bout it because of my age. Amy says that I am selfish and doesn't care about her and our son Arthur who will live her after me. I know that I must pay for it and perhaps that I may get away with it. I may just reshape the edges to fit the door box. 

維護住屋／莊峻華

 維護住屋／莊峻華

居屋需維護，而且是不斷之工作，從郵輪別墅回家，立即需面對維護住屋，這次是甚麼？前院有一大塊草皮，冬日乾枯，春初已顯出禿頂，園丁忙碌不理愛美請求估價，於是變成我的責任，11年前初搬此居，我還有氣力，於是我到六號公路旁，訂購砂土草皮，自己推車舖土舖草，忙了一陣，累壞老身，今年放棄自己工作，畢竟年歲日增，而且左膝蓋受傷，無法支撐重量，但找不到工人，住屋仍需維護，除此這外，還有地基損壞，地毯老舊，室內需油漆等等。

休市溫暖，夏天許多蝶蟲漫遊，產卵於草皮中，一塊塊草皮枯黃，雨量充沛，洗刷護操黏土，庭院有巨樹多株，樹根浮現表面，一切之一切，均不利水土保持，所以需要填土，幾年前我在後院，修補一塊禿頂草皮，完全免費成功，於是我想如法泡製，愛美百般奚落，但又不肯負下全責，於是我就詢問鄰居，肯定一下我的看法。

我是來日無多，而且已經找到郵輪別墅，真是無需花費精神和金錢，投資於維護住屋，我們鄰居重視居屋品質，住屋維護，庭院花園設計，均下大功夫，因此環境越來越高級，愛美重視維護住屋，也非無根據。

Filing 2022 Federal Income Tax/Carlos Pueblo

 Filing 2022 Federal Income Tax/Carlos Pueblo

There is a date line to file federal income tax every year which is around April 15. I came back home from my month long cruises and to make sure to file it before our trip to Japan in March. I exhaust almost all my cash to pay our annual dues, Arthur's and ours. It's getting harder and harder each year to meet our obligation. I once have been told that we must paid more in federal income tax because that we have run out of any deduction. It is true that I have used the standard deduction for many years.

I don't have any earned income. All my incomes are from requirement minimum distribution of my pension funds, various dividends, capital gains, interest income, and social security payments, etc. I have been healthy for most of the time the Medicare can cover most of the expanse. The Federal government comes in to be my major expanse in my life, not the living costs after the inflation or intensify cruise trips, etc. I understand that the government needs the revenue to fund various functions of the nation.

I am lucky that I am above 50% of the national population who don't have to pay the Federal Income Tax because of their low income status. I appreciated my opportunity to come to this great nation to make a living and also contribute myself to this nation via federal income tax. The longer that I live, the more that I shall contribute to this nation.

申報2022年聯邦所得稅／莊峻華

 申報2022年聯邦所得稅／莊峻華

匆匆忙忙從加勒比海，趕回紐約港搭機回家，就是為了申請2022年聯邦所得稅，我們準備三月到日本旅行，行前又需要北上為琳兒看家，照顧愛犬愛貓，申報聯邦所得稅有期限，而且要有一大筆現金，我在年初已經領出一筆2023年退休金來應變，當然需要時間來心理建設，適應這種局面。

我出生在一貧窮家庭，一直到現在老年，始有經濟獨立之感覺，很不習慣交如此多所得稅，這是美國之國家制度，我了解也無甚意見，已不是我之煩惱，許多人比我收入更多，需交更多之所得稅，我深覺多交稅比缺錢好，沒有錢之煩惱，我的所得稅比過去高，是因為我誤領多退休金，忘記60日內交還退休金帳號，一石油股賺錢，還有股息利息等收入，沒有任何折扣支出可報銷。

美國有一半人口以上，無需交聯邦所得稅，因為年收入不高，未達到申報標準，雖是世界富國，也有許多貧窮人士，所以收入高者需要幫助聯邦支出，當然，地方政府也有支出，地方稅也很可觀，我們都想辦法，減少支出，節儉持家，我到郵輪去浪費，實在是金錢購買船票，登入人間天堂，西方哲學家心目中之烏托邦。

我將申報程序完成，因印刷機失能，僅能一步步安裝早已準備之新機器，這舊機器是早年工作時留下之一匹，是南韓成品三星牌，想來我已經失業23年矣，又為聯邦所得稅操煩，我為自己慶幸來美國，美國也慶幸收獲我如此之提款機，歷久彌新。

A sketch of a pretty bar waitress on board/Carlos Pueblo

 

A sketch of a pretty bar waitress on board/Carlos Pueblo

The cruise ship Gem returned to Puerto Plata, Dominica Republic at the Atlantic on our way back to New York City. I was busy and tried to talk to nine beautiful parakeets without significant success. Upon return

ing to the ship's 24 hours restaurant, I saw an Arts & Craft with Cruise Staff class was at the end. Few passengers students turned their works back to the instructor. A silver hair lady was far front of the atrium podium, she turned her work to a pretty bar waitress with an asymmetric style hairdo. The girl was shocked and the instructor permitted her to keep the sketch. The silver hair lady handed her another blank piece of paper to cover the sketch. I knew what was going on, the lady artist drew a portrait of this pretty waitress and she was shocked. The artist's husband handed her cash to tip that pretty girl for her service.

It was at the same afternoon, I ran into this pretty waitress at her bar on deck 6, the Magnums, in front of the French Restaurant. She was with a Japanese lady scientist. I asked her if that silver hair lady was an artist. She was not quite sure and she insisted that she didn't post for her to sketch. She speaks fluent Japanese and obviously she is a Japanese Brazilian with an Italian surname. That same night, the lady artist was seated behind me at the atrium for a lady singer's show. She noticed my conversation with the pretty girl and knew that I would write an article about such sketch. She is a retired arts teacher of 30 years. Her husband was on her side also. They have a Japanese daughter-in-law who live in New York City. We have had a very good conversation about Japanese arts of animation. A sketch is a realistic art work yet she did input her idea to make such art work as an impressionist. I have had a strong desire to see her work.

Before the end of our cruise, I ran into Mildren San again, the pretty bar waitress. She showed me the sketch, a special effort to get it from her wall at her dormitory. I took several pictures with her. The high light of her hairdo and the vivid express of her eyes. Mrs. Lynn Wells, the artist, approached me at the end of our cruise and we exchanged our e-mails address and I promised her to introduce her art work to my readers worldwide.

郵輪美術手藝課／莊峻華

 郵輪美術手藝課／莊峻華

寶石號郵輪巴拿馬運河回程，重返多明尼加共和國銀港，我從碼頭拜訪九隻美麗俊秀鸚鵡後，回船午餐，這時候已近下午三時，24小時餐廳下之郵輪美術手藝課，即將下課，我看稀落幾位女乘課，坐在講師前交上作業，遠處一對夫妻，銀髮女士正在整理素描手稿，招來美麗酒侍，這位美女酒侍原在六層船中酒吧，當日在大廳執勤，美女驚訝素描，女士執一白紙覆蓋素描，要女酒侍提交講師，講師許可酒侍留存，酒侍回來感謝畫家，女畫家夫婿掏出皮夾，取出美金給畫家贈與酒侍，我在餐廳欄杆上，看得一清二楚。當夜我在六層遇見這位女侍和一位日裔女士聊天，我加入日語會話，原來她是日裔巴西人，有一義大利姓，我訊問這位素描者，是否為職業畫家？當日是否站立為她素描作畫？回曰不知是否為職業畫家？也未專門站立為她作畫。

一日我正巧認出這位女士在大廳沙發，我知她是位退休美術老師，有位日本媳婦，我提到那一幕，真希望能寫在我的部落格，介紹給我全球讀者，她給我她的名號，船很小，第二日我又遇見美女酒侍，正待報告畫家名號，她說她已遇畫家曰，我是位作者，於是她特別回其房間，取出素描讓我拍照留念，畫家確實告述生動化，日本美術強調生動化，這位酒侍有對迷人美目，瀏海左頃，非常特色，素描非是寫實，而是印象派，已經加入畫家生動化之意見。

旅程結束前夜，我在大廳和兩位加國牙醫聊天，女畫家趨近索取我寫作資訊，並給我其網址連落，我真受寵若驚，她住賓夕法尼牙州，兒子六呎七身高，難怪日本女孩羨慕，我許可寄給她我的英文版介紹這一幕，也許我將學會相片上網助興。