台灣關係法44年紀念／莊峻華

 台灣關係法44年紀念／莊峻華

1979年卡特總統在承認共產黨中國時，同時簽署台灣關係法，雖然與佔領台灣34年的國民黨中華民國斷絕邦交，但很微妙的維持與台灣保持關係，關係法之特點是美國可以提供出售武器，給台灣自衛，最近更是提昇到台灣有事，等於美國有事，日本也跟進，今晨我整理車庫，發現一張陳年微黃之團體照片，擦拭塵埃後，移至室內，和另張相片並列愛美圖書室。

這是當年，應該是1981年冬殘日，休市台灣同鄉會，著我前往華府參加感謝索拉茲眾議員和甘迺迪參議員兩位，在關係法立法過程中之努力，當時我乘機攜帶愛美同行，順便租車拜望其居波士頓之二姊，此行有幾張相片留念，就是同鄉們拜訪甘迺迪和索拉茲辦公室之合照，我現在仍舊找出與甘迺迪參議員之合照，一張是團體照，另一張是參議員和我們夫妻之合照，參議員已經過世， 行前一年，1980年同鄉會在休市海耶特大飯店募款，贊助甘迺迪挑戰卡特總統不果。

約是十餘年前，洛杉磯太平洋時報林文政兄來話，談起休市許雋夫牧師，出示此張合照，牧師當時站立在參議員旁，同時站立背後者，有宜蘭之郭雨新省議員，蔡同榮，陳唐山，和王貴榮等先進都前座，台灣新共和成立後，蔡與陳都回國貢獻，蔡與貴榮兄均已過世，蔡是台灣立法委員暨民視創辦人，陳是台南縣長，立法委員，外交部長，和國安會主席等職。

我恭喜愛美出席留照此一歷史盛會，我們都盛逢其會，台灣政治脫胎換骨，台灣關係法，天無絕人之路，台灣加油。

The sign of going homeless/Carlos Pueblo

 The sign of going homeless/Carlos Pueblo

The homeless is an issue of a nation even in such a rich country of U.S.A. We have a discussion with our daughter Michelle recently of such related issue. They are in an effort to rescue a relative who has no place to live and without their help this person of age 39 will be a homeless very soon. We kind of knowing why Michelle comes to us for advise which is not our business and she won't take our advise but has a listening. This sister-in-law is $14,000 in credit card debt and driving a vehicle with a $366 a month loan payment. It is very awkward and nowadays it costs at least $1,500 a one bed room apartment in Austin, Texas. She is looking for a job. An evolution theory by Thomas Huxley suddenly appears in my mind, a natural selection.

Amy is coordinating an effort to purchase an old Honda from her sister for $500 in order to help her to meet the need to work after she returns that new vehicle to her ex-husband. I also remind Michelle that this sister-in-law should pay attention to apply the Medicaid coverage before the end of her health coverage on April 15 this year. It is very essential to keep her current medicine for mental health or it will get worse. She should also apply for social welfare in order to subordinate her low income from now on. We're lucky to live in this great and considerate nation. I know that she is a conservative and the Republication who are against the progressive approach idea, yet it is no time to save face.

Since our formation of a new family, Amy and I have carefully made our plan to help our beloved children. We have taught our value from their early age. We have asked them to finish a college education and to work thereafter. Both of my children are doing better than me on their jobs and keeping on their jobs. They have also built their frugal habits and save money for their future needs.

Recently, I have taken city buses to reach airports to make my various trips. I have stayed overnight on airports all over the world to meet my flying schedules. I have run into many homeless people. It is too late for anybody to step in to help. I don't think the mighty U.S. or Texas government can solve such problem. We must prepare early.

無家可歸者前兆／莊峻華

 無家可歸者前兆／莊峻華

美國國家富有，但也有不計其數之無家可歸者，社會福利介入幫助，但仍舊是杯水車薪，我有很多感觸，無家可歸者是有前兆，能否預防？則是見人見智。最近，其實是正在進行中，琳兒有位姻親，年紀39，前來投奔，她說若不伸手援助，很可能就成無家可歸者，我們只能提供意見。

這位女親戚有大學學歷，但有精神病，需要服藥，只能照顧動物為生，這種職業甚難謀生，經常失業，但她也是有意見很固執，卻不擇善，儒家曰擇善固執，完全不是那回事，所以有問題，愛美觀心琳兒，研究這位親戚之臉書，知道她去年三月才訂婚，結婚後有一新車貸款，每月需交$360，而且她尚有$14，400信用卡債務，前夫有職業，學校教師和週末之國民兵。

離婚手續正在進行中，將在四月十五日生效，新車需要還給前夫，否則需要接下新車貸款，每月$360，還有昂貴之全保車險，愛美幫忙請其二姊安賣出20年本田舊車$500濟急，讓她有車上班，其母，就是琳兒婆家，出車款$500和首期責任車險，我們上週北上照顧9隻愛犬愛貓，這位親戚已經搬出，暫住客戶家照顧寵物，聽聞將來將會有室友。

我們都清楚，沒有工作收入，無法獨立生活，我提醒琳兒要注意四月十五日，申請貧民健保，貧民補助金，沒有健保，不繼續服藥，病況加劇，無法工作，貧民補助金可以幫助不足收入。

我在出外旅行中，因節省支出，都是搭公車上機場，經常目睹無家可歸者，警察也前來觀心，因為不雅觀瞻，無家可歸者甚多，我只能慶幸我有準備有打算，避免落此地步。

Replace my car battery/Carlos Pueblo

 Replace my car battery/Carlos Pueblo

Since my left knee injury, I quit tennis and drive little of my car. After my Austin trip, my car battery was dead which was five years old. There was no way that I could jump it up and drove to the Walmart to replace the battery. My neighbor Mike refreshed my know how knowledge to take down the dead battery and put it into Arthur's trunk. We are going out of town for three weeks and Arthur needs to have my car to back him up his 16 years old car in case of emergency. Amy's 2018 car is too new for him to drive to work at the supermarket.

There were rusty mold grown around battery connecting codes. Mike told me that I should clean them before I put a new battery on. The store clerk showed me selections of new battery on the shelf. I selected the cheapest one because that I didn't know how long my car would last. He also showed me a metal brush to clean codes and brush off mold. I was very please that I could replace my car battery and also clean the street full of new trash from the big Sweet Gum in the front.

I managed to get Amy to help me to open the hood in the front. It takes two person's coordination to get it open. I also managed to lift the battery to sit properly on the seat thereafter. As Mike reminded me to use a proper 3/8 inch ranch to tight them up. Amy saw me to brush off molds and brought me a bottle cleaner which she brought last time from our garage. I skipped such purchase due to the cheaper metal brush which the store clerk recommended. I got it done and moved the vehicle to clean the street surface. Every year I must help Amy to clean fallen leaves and pollens regularly. Our neighborhood is very neat with homeowners pride.

更換座車新電池／莊峻華

 更換座車新電池／莊峻華

前院香楓新葉苗，撒落滿地，我正一畚畚拾落垃圾桶，輪到座車位置，始發現無法發動座車，奧斯汀8日天冷，電池凍壞，元兒座車電池，也無能幫助，我仍試圖充電，鄰居麥克遛狗途經見我窘境，下手幫忙我卸下舊電池，都已經5年，我拿來工具箱，在旁觀看助理，我是有過換車電地經驗。

卸下老電池，放在元兒座車尾物箱，準備翌晨上大賣店買新電池，我不滿意拖車行價錢，況且我尚需要購買一些維護品，車電池沉重，我是有困難攜上放下，我選最便宜一具，再買一便宜鐵刷清除連接處電池銹，還有砂紙，回家後找愛美幫忙，打開座車前箱，然後我就慢慢的裝上新電池。

鄰居們散步，停留下來關心，多時不見，我到處旅行，打網球後又深居簡出，談到愛貓愛犬離去之苦，我們搬到此社區，已經滿10年，剛來時認識之愛犬，多半離去，我的座車也近25年，今年起就無需年度車檢，我也不甚開車，若此車拋錨，我也不需再有座車，這老車可當元兒工作車之替代。

The departure time/Carlos Pueblo

 The departure time/Carlos Pueblo

Our cat Madison is at the departure time, a time to say goodbye. He is 20 plus years old with a bleeding tumor on his right rear foot. He is not eating at all for several days. We decide to let him go this coming Wednesday. It is very sad to have this situation. We ask our son Arthur who is very kin to this cat if he would have another one to accompany him. He says no.

his cat was brought to our home in 2002 a week after Michelle brought her cat Stitch home. Stitch couldn't leave Michelle's roommate's old cat alone. Then, she found this abandon cat outside her door step outside. She was a junior at college; therefore, she couldn't take care of it. This cat was hidden in the corner of our formal dining room to avoid my notice. He was about a mouse's size according to Amy's observation. We thought that he was a female cat; therefore, I called it Ayoko in Taiwanese mean we would bring you up even though we didn't expect to have you. This was for a baby girl whom the family was expected to have a son in Taiwan at the old time. Later, the vet discovered that he was a male cat. Michelle named him Madison after the famous President of the U.S.

Madison grew up with Stitch whose individual character was more like our daughter and dominate in the household while Madison, I still call him Ayoko, is more like our son Arthur who is introversive. They have become very closed. He is not like most cats would allow me to hold him. Stitch passed away in 2018 at age 15 while Madison still doing very well until recently.

I firmly believe that the departure is a kind of suffer and a pain as the current Buddha has described especially for those who are very closed to you. All living creatures shall die eventually. Ayoko will die so will I. It is what I realize that a meaningful life is so important to me. Thanks Ayoko for bringing so much fond memory to our family and farewell.

愛親別離苦2023／莊峻華

 愛親別離苦2023／莊峻華

雖言長途旅行在即，我們的事尚未了，愛貓麥迪遜正待壽終正寢，我們準備在下週三，送他到獸醫診所安樂死，他享年超過20歲，那一年，約是2003年，琳兒愛貓一針，欺侮室友老貓，被驅逐回休士頓，一週後，琳兒又收留一棄貓，因學業忙碌，無法照顧，又帶回家，此貓甚弱小，約僅一老鼠大，常為一針欺侮，我們都要介入保護，起初琳兒誤為䧳性，所以我呼妄腰，後來獸醫體檢發現為雄貓，因此琳兒取名麥迪遜，我仍習慣稱之阿幽各，各者日語為子，女性也。

阿幽各性像元兒，內向認命，一針常欺侮他，但他也奮力抵抗，五年前，一針因胃癌去世，這時我在船上，一針和愛美較親近，所以我無甚愛親別離苦，阿幽各亦然，無一針之霸凌，他又多活五年，獸醫曰是無一針之競爭是也。

這次他的右後小腿長瘤，他癢舔吮傷口，血流不止，獸醫給止血藥粉，愛美悉心換洗傷口，敷上繃帶外加我洗淨舊內衣布條，我下船回家，每晚均需幫忙按貓穩定不動，讓愛美更換繃帶，如此止血，但是我們又被調到奧斯汀，照顧二犬七貓8日，行前有預感，阿幽各會出問題，元兒無法處理，就是我也不行，我們回家後發現地毯傷，血跡斑斑，樓上樓下，元兒到最後一日，始勉強敷上繃帶。

阿幽各已無食欲，十分消瘦，我們故知其大限，元兒哭泣，但也同意讓阿幽各離去，愛美安慰他，再領養一貓為伴，元兒不敢，這是佛陀所謂八苦，我要找機會開示元兒，愛親別離苦，其實也不知能否過此週末？人和動物生命者，都有生老病死。