專送愛美上陪審團／莊峻華
愛美有陪審團義務，詢問我幾次如何搭公車到城中，最後我決定專車送她，因為陪審團集結時間是上午八時，搭公車時間甚難掌控，何況我也閒來無事，幫她解決交通問題，也是一件有意義之事，於是我按時早睡，清晨六點半就出發，七點就抵達郡中心，美國是法治國家，許多訴訟，訴訟需要陪審團，公民到七十歲，始得免除陪審團義務。
選上陪審團，很不容易，因為選擇人選甚是豐富，我一生都不曾被選上，最接近者是第二輪，約有五十位可選出幾位，然後就被遣送回家，按兩造律師解釋，人選約是前十位，後面者輪不上。被徵召召者，可免費搭公車，還有贈送四元美金車馬費，有時後法院還節省下來，我甚吝嗇，但也不曾計較過。
最近，我常觀看川普的面對司法，陪審團之調人應訊，這和選擇陪審團程序稍後，陪審團成立後，檢察官開始調察案件，愛美這責任，是已經開始要審判矣，選上就當場上法庭聽審，所以我在家等電話，準備再回城中，接她回家。
有一年，約是1980年代，我應一客戶請求，當他民事訴訟之證人，我當日也出庭，準備作證，證明客戶之性格，是一守法者，開庭時鄰居原告撤除告訴，他甚無奈，律師費用已經達20萬美金。
Repair damaged front yard/Carlos Pueblo
Our front yard has been damaged by a kind of bug laid eggs on the lawn. The St. Augustine grass leaves turned yellow plus some dry summers. New leaves have never been able to cover the damage. We have asked two lawnmowers to give us estimates. Both won't take the job to rebuild it. I am forced to do it again. I did have once to repair a small area on our back yard with identical damage which is very common lawn disease.
I first drove to the old landscape store on Highway 6. I made a wrong turn and missed it. I turned to a garden shop nearby our house. They ran out of sod inventory. I decided to remove some portion of the healthy lawn from our backyard to put in the front yard. It was too little to make it up and I was very tired due to my age. I need about 100 pieces of one square foot sod to make a difference.
The following day, I drove back again to another store near by our old house north of I-10. I bought 25 pieces for $3.50 a piece. The sod were not good looking, obviously were there for a while and I have no better choice. I laid down all of them on a little bit soften damaged ground. Neighbors passed by and curiously asking me what I was doing. I explained that I did build my hard working chores habit some half of a century ago when I was in Taiwanese conscription. The only difference is that it is very hard for me to do this kind of hard labor.
I was lucky of the rain. I hope that would help to make it work. After it works, I shall apply again some fertilizer on the surface and one more time for the entire front and back yard to strengthen our lawn grass. In case of the identical condition, I shall apply chemical immediately.
修葺草坪／莊峻華
前院草坪，每況愈下，搬來新居，已經十年，屋況不若購買時，這是因為我的維護不佳，我捨不得花錢維護，和我的鄰居有異，鄰居屋主有準備，有預算，隨時整理庭院，隨時整理住屋，四十餘年舊屋，庭院似花園，屋外粉刷美麗，屋頂隨時更換，我心甚懺愧，前院幾年前有病蟲害，飛蛾在草坪上置卵，枯黃一片，兩三年後聖奧古斯丁草皮枯死，週圍草皮無法補救，加上前院三株巨樹，遮蔽陽光，愛美先撤換我割草職務，新割草師傅，也無法改善，於是變成愛美心頭大患。
先後懇請兩家割草師傅估價，更換草皮都不專門，於是我又自告奮勇，先是開車到兩家大賣店，了解草皮價格，我想不是沃土流失，我無需再購新土，只需要鬆土，然後新舖草皮，草皮大賣店有售，現在約是一小塊三塊五美元，我先需一百小塊濟急，但鄰近大賣店缺貨，於是我想從後院石塊隙，刨除草皮補充，幾年前我是如此做，而且也順利補上一塊，現在後院石塊空隙又補滿，我分幾次移植若干。
鄰居路過詢問，我說是半世紀前服兵役，掃廁所的往事經驗，現在這種小事在休市，真找不到估價者，勞工之缺乏，我移植三小塊，已經精疲力竭，連續午憩多時，畢竟此非老叟所能為，剛好下雨，保證移植成功。我還是等待下次，購買新草皮，節省一些操煩，後院能補充草皮也不多，而且需要移植空地甚多，我這多年疏乎，損壞已形成。
一位鄰居有類似損壞，她就請專門園丁，約是三位師傅，開專車羣攜新土新草皮前來，整個前院都掀開，舖上新沃土新草皮，如此將近四日，前院草坪奐然一新，我路過觀賞，甚是欽佩，我的兩位庭院師傅，約識我節省，連報價都省下，若平日我認真灑水，說不定損害不至如此。
其實我的煩惱不僅止於草坪，地基，室內地毯和屋瓦等，都是舊屋問題，我道是人去樓空，我們家有二樓，美國勞工聘請不易，急的是愛美，她有遠程計劃，將來她計劃售出此屋，搬到一較小新屋，讓元兒好管理，當然這已不干我事矣。
Arriving at the Narita Airport 2023/Carlos Pueblo
After a 14 hours flight, we landed at Tokyo Narita Airport to join a over crowded passengers to flood in Japan. It was overwhelmed almost everywhere at the huge airport, the pandemic station, the immigration, and the Japan Rail Pass. Amy got a help to prepare our Covid 19 pass in Houston Intercontinental yet there was still a long line and the airport was ready to provide the necessary shot for those unprepared. here were not enough immigration officers to handle the overwhelming passengers. Finally, I had had a hard time to check in my JR Pass prepaid tickets due to the pass of three months without replacement. I was forced to purchase again with higher prices and got a 15% penalty refund when I came back home.
We took the Narita-Tokyo Express to Sh
The hotel is located at Fukushima. Yucari showed us how to walk to Fukushima Station to catch on a loop train to Osaka, on stop, then another train also one stop to Shin-Osaka Station to transfer to Shinkansen to another city of our choice. It is very convenient. I am going to introduce every day of our activities.
初抵東京2023／莊峻華
去年底，愛美提議旅行日本，我隨意提到三月櫻花季，到日本賞花，於是當日訂下機票和火車票，日本剛開放入境，而且美金匯率一比一百三十元，一切覺得便宜，未想到整個日本，湧入許多旅客，飛機爆滿。
日本入境時，需要手機掃描武肺疫苗施打記錄，愛美在候機室，煩請一位日本青年幫忙，到了羽田機場，這是首關，大擺長龍，無法出示證明者，當場補正手續，當場補打疫苗，第二關是入境海關，人與行李，我被一年輕海關青年叫回排隊，他呼我奧吉桑，就是老叟意，我特別追問我貌似老叟？年輕人莞爾。第三關是日本鐵道劵，也是大排長龍，我們有遠程火車需趕路，結果預訂票超過三個月失效，需要重新高價購買，反正別無選擇，連忙上車赴東京品川站，日鐵職員幫我們訂下座位。
東京到新大阪時程超過兩小時半，抵達新大阪問路，問到一位住在旅店附近之緣姑娘，她帶路從新大阪搭火車到大阪，再換車一站到福島站，甚至帶路到旅店，她住在附近，我非常感激她的親切，特別邀請她翌日午餐，她也爽快答應，第二日剛好天雨，她帶我們到附近烤三重縣鰻魚料理餐廳，非常美味，我一直以為日本鰻魚來自台灣，結果不是，是日本土產。旅店職員聞我們台語聲音，前來相親，原來是新店同鄉，我說半世紀前，我曾在新店文山國中教一年書。
我們休息一日後，就開始一週精彩旅行，每日走路到福島驛，換車到大阪驛，再到新大阪驛換新幹線，東西奔馳，不亦樂乎？
The old and lonely life/Carlos Pueblo
After coming back from a three weeks trip to Japan, I felt my old and lonely life appearance. I was sick with a cold infection and tired with a jet lag. I was in an early morning six hours train ride from the northwest part of Japan to Tokyo Narita Airport. Then a 14 hours flight back to Houston that made me very fatigue. I almost forgot how enjoyable of the trip.
I always like to compare my life to my late father, as a matter of fact that I have outlive him for 10 years. He was not as lucky as I am in a different era. He lived in a hard time for all his life in Taiwan. He couldn't determine his life but facing it and manage it to his best. I am aware that I am old and lonely. I manage to go on my life that I must be careful when I am alone must of my life.
Amy's mother used to stay with us when both of our children were young. I had witness her old life yet not lonely. She had a busy senior life since her 60's. We used to be her chauffeur to all her senior activities. I am on the opposite that I am alone. I select to be alone. I go out to travel. I am still taking my continue education of the American law and order. I watch all Trump's legal issues and also I am watching for the international politic. I am still very lonely.
老年生活／莊峻華
不想我已邁入老年多時，每日親睹顏面多次，戴帽遮蔽禿頂，左膝蓋虛弱，食慾不若年輕時，每日不知所作為何？我甚感激無虛渡此生，比較我的父母一代，我是幸運，至少我是生活無慮。
我的晚年，都是離群索居，鮮少與外界往來，我和上一代人有異，幾月前我還晨網運動，膝痛後中斷，然後就無朋友往來，僅能閱讀球友，每日球局安排，每日均注意出外旅行機會。
每日24小時，是一慢長時刻，而且是日復一日，我不否認孤獨寂寞，還好網誌普遍，川普新聞，提供美國公民課，還有中國鬧劇，川普將破產，川普將鋃鐺入獄，中國將亡國，中國將四分五裂，這是我的老年結論。
這次旅行日本三週，有趣但甚辛苦，我們都感冒，而且時差，尤其是我，亦呈老邁，真是歲月不饒人，我只能善用時日，避免過分勞累，多活幾年。
